Alloa star Burton O’Brien says the players are hurting as much as the fans after their abysmal start to SPFL Championship season was extended with Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Greenock Morton.

The veteran midfielder put in a battling display against Jim Duffy’s physical side, but he insists they can still turn things around despite their sixth defeat on the trot.

The Wasps now head to face Dumbarton at a ground where they haven’t won in seven visits, but the former Livingston and Sheffield Wednesday star believes there is no better game to get their season back on track.

O’Brien told Advertiser sport: “It was a frustrating defeat again for us. I thought we played well enough in the first half, but in the second half we just weren’t as fluent. It was a really cheap goal again that has cost us and that is what is really disappointing.

“We really went into this game seeing it as a good chance to collect three points and even at half-time, we felt good and in control of the game so that is why it’s a tough one to take. To be fair, they started better and had a couple of early chances, but we grew into the game and I felt we were starting to get on top by half-time.

“Once we are on top though, much like the Raith Rovers game, we have to be more positive and take chances to hammer home that kind of advantage. We haven’t done that and then been punished for it so we know we must put that right and do better with possession of the ball and turn that into goals.

“Dumbarton will be another tricky match for us. They have started the season well and have had a couple of good results. Regardless of the opposition though, we must look to pick ourselves up, make it so we are difficult to play against and then try to impose our philosophy on the game from there.” O’Brien feels that his side have simply been lacking that killer final pass to carve open opposition defences in recent weeks. And he knows they must also eradicate their own errors which have gifted goals away.

He said: “It might just take one goal at the right time to turn things around for us, but it doesn’t help when we give away silly goals at the other end. We have had the ball in some good areas over the last two weeks, but just haven’t been able to find that final pass. We will just pick ourselves up again in training, do what we have been doing and hopefully just show a little more belief in front of goal. ” The tension could be felt around the Indodrill Stadium last weekend as the fans aired their views both during and after the match, but the 34-year-old he is just as upset as they are with their six-game losing streak.

O’Brien added: “I understand the fans’ frustration because I am every bit as frustrated as they are, trust me on that. Nobody likes losing, I hate it, but the only way we are going to change things is to get back to doing the basics right and then hopefully our luck will turn.”