EXPERIENCED Wasps midfielder Burton O'Brien says frustration of Queen of the South defeat will not halt their renaissance as they look to escape the drop zone in the SPFL Championship.

The former Sheffield Wednesday and Livingston star thinks the new manager effect has once again taken affect at Alloa Athletic as they have looked a different side since Jack Ross' arrival in the Wee County and insists they will not let last weekend's result stunt their progress. 

O'Brien told Advertiser sport: “It was frustrating to lose the game last week. I think a draw would have been a fair result on the balance of play. I don’t think we deserved to win the game, but it was certainly disappointing not to get the draw. One lapse of concentration just before half time has ended up costing us the game, but the signs are still encouraging for us. 

“I think anyone looking from the outside can see that there has been a massive transformation in us since the turn of the year. The gap is definitely closing for us in terms of competing in games. I think before we were just trying to hang in there in a lot of our games, but now we are looking to go and win them so things are definitely on the up for us. 

“I have been in football long enough to know that this sort of thing can happen really quickly when a new manager comes in and you do see it all the time. I don’t know if it was a psychological thing, but the gaffer has came in and given the lads a real lift, got us back together as a team and the boys are all enjoying themselves again.

"The win at Raith Rovers did us a lot of good and even the performance against Morton lifted us even although it was cancelled. We won’t let this latest result knock the stuffing out of us because there was loads of positives to take from the game so I don’t think it will.”

Alloa and Hillfoots Advertiser: Burton O'Brien tackles Queen of the South midfielder Mark MillarBurton O'Brien tackles Queen of the South midfielder Mark Millar

O'Brien almost scored a fortuitous wind-assisted equaliser in the second half, but he believes the Palmerston Park men were able to use the elements better as they scraped a narrow win. 

The 34-year-old also believes James Fowler and his side have goalkeeper Robbie Thomson to thank for the win after keeping the Wasps at bay during their second half on-slaught.

He said: “The wind definitely had a huge bearing on the game. I felt they used it really well to their advantage in the first half to really pin us in at times. We defended it really well for the most part, but that one moment where we went to sleep they punished us.

"I thought we looked dangerous from set pieces and unfortunately for me the keeper makes a good save to deny my free kick in the second half.

"I think their keeper probably won them the game because his saves from Michael Duffy were key and on another day those go in for us. He had three or four other saves and that was the difference in the end. We won’t get down about it though we are creating plenty of chances now and that can only be good for us.” 

The Wee County outfit now head to Paisley this weekend to face Alex Rae's St Mirren side and their veteran midfielder believes they are a far better team now than the one that drew there earlier in the season. 

O'Brien added: “The last meeting with St Mirren was probably our worst one under Jack so far and so that is something we must look to put right at the weekend.

"We know they will be hurting from the loss to Hibs as well so both teams will be looking to bounce back and it should make for a competitive game. We got a deserved point from our last trip to Paisley and it could have been even better, but for our own mistake. I don’t remember them ever really cutting us open that day so we can take confidence from that because we are a much better side now.

"We are playing a lot more freedom and confidence now at a much higher tempo so as long as we continue to create chances like we have been then we will have a good chance of winning the game.”