ALLOA star Kevin Cawley insists his side’s performance did not merit defeat as they went down to Peterhead last Saturday.

The Wasps dominated the game and Cawley reckons they did enough to win it.

But he was left to rue their wastefulness in front of goal and says the visitors did well to hold off a late onslaught.

Cawley told Advertiser Sport: “We didn’t play badly. We were good in the first half but we just didn’t test the keeper enough and that was our downfall.

"Losing that one is a sickener. We huffed and puffed and we had a lot of good spells but they were always going to make it difficult for us. Once they scored they sat in and the keeper has made some top-class saves which has kept them in it.

"They did well to hold on and to be honest it is a great result for them.”

The midfielder admitted that the Wasps had blown a good chance to close the gap to Livingston at the top of the table and believes it adds even more importance to the meeting between the top two on February 4.

He said: “It was a good chance to narrow the gap to Livingston six points but now if they win their game in hand it could go up to 12.

"It just makes it that little bit harder. Airdrie drew so we are still sitting in second. We need a couple of good results going into the game against them here because that is a massive game.”

Next up for Alloa is a Scottish Cup clash with Championship side Dunfermline, and Cawley reckons his side can take inspiration from their last meeting, when the Wasps beat the Pars in the Championship playoffs in 2013.

He added: “We are away from league duty next week and it will be nice to get a break from that. We have a massive game in the cup.

"Last time we played Dunfermline was when we beat them in the playoffs so we have good memories. We are hoping for more of the same.

"They have started to find a bit of form in the Championship so it will be difficult, but in a one-off game anything can happen. We will go there hoping to give a good account of ourselves. The fact there is a local element to it helps as well because there will be an edge to the game.

"It will be a good feisty cup tie.”