Alloa manager Jack Ross says he was encouraged by his team’s performance despite last Saturday’s defeat to Falkirk at the Indodrill Stadium.

John Baird’s early goal was the only thing separating the two sides at the final whistle, and the Wasps boss was delighted with a display which saw the Championship strugglers match their promotion-chasing opponents for much of the game.

Ross told Advertiser Sport: “There were similarities to the St Mirren game in some ways but I think there were even more encouraging signs. We were playing a team who are on a terrific run and are rightly being seen as promotion contenders and I thought we matched them for long periods. I don’t think the game had huge amounts of quality and there were very few chances at both ends. Andy McNeil had one save other than the one that leads to the goal and Danny Rogers didn’t have many to make either but the level of commitment from the players was tremendous. We saw their desire to get something out of the game in the last 15 minutes so that is encouraging.

“I hope the performance shows that they are trying to buy into what we are trying to do. We are only with them two nights a week so it’s still about trying to get them onside and to buy into the way we want to do things. I think they are doing that. I have had a really good reaction from them in training and I try to speak to them individually as much as I can which is difficult given the time we have with them.

“I genuinely feel for them and although people might think that sometimes in management you want results for yourself, I genuinely want the players to get the rewards because for the commitment they showed, they deserved something.”

Ross was delighted with the performance of teenage defender Scott McKenna, who joined on loan from Aberdeen last week and put in a man-of-the-match display after he was thrown into the Wasps’ starting lineup.

He said: “I had no qualms about playing him because he is somebody I have watched closely over the past couple of years. I saw him play for Scotland Under-19s and I have watched him in a few games since, and I knew that given the type of player he is he would handle it fine. He was playing against two experienced strikers in Lee Miller and John Baird who are a handful, but I thought he adjusted really well. I am delighted with him and if he continues to produce that kind of performance while he is here he will do well.”

The manager hinted that Robbie Crawford and Michael Duffy could extend their loan deals at the Indodrill Stadium, with Michael Doyle also likely to stay beyond the end of his current contract.

Ross added: “I think Robbie will certainly stay and we are hoping Michael Duffy stays as well. I understand that they will have the desire to go and try and get that at their parent club. They have to have conversations with those clubs and find out where they stand. It has been really difficult for Michael Duffy as a young player because at times he has had to work up there without much support, and I don’t think he has had the rewards he deserves. I keep telling him I believe he can go and score six, eight or ten goals between now and the end of the season and I hope that will be with us.

“I don’t see there being a problem with Michael Doyle staying. I would love to keep the players that are the core of the team because I’ve got a job to try and add bits and pieces here and there.”