THERE have been times this season when Alloa's football has been so carefree it's rumoured cigar sales have rocketed in the Wee County.

But, unfortunately for Peter Grant, for every Iain Flannigan prod or Alan Trouten flick on the ball, there has been the tendency to shoot themselves in the foot off it.

This recent habit of gifting their opponents a two-goal lead reared its ugly head again at fellow part-timers Arbroath on Saturday; only this time there was no comeback to save them with Trouten's ninth goal of the season ultimately in vain.

The defeat leaves the Wasps only two points off bottom placed Partick Thistle with the cigars been placed under lock and key for now.

Despite their recent charitable nature, Grant firmly believes his desire to play attractive football remains the best policy.

"If I felt there was a way we could play to win games of football then I would do it right away," he told Advertiser Sport. "It's not being stubborn and if I was I am old enough and wise enough to realise when I am.

"But, it's not the case and we have players who can play good football and create chances, and so we can't take away from what we are doing.

"The boys are working their socks off and it isn't a lack of ability or anything, but rather it is decision making.

"I look at it when we played Dundee last week and they said all they had worked on since the Saturday was stopping us playing.

"Whereas, I didn't see the boys until an hour and a half before the game and even that I wasn't sure what team I would have because of the injuries.

"There's no excuse being part-time with the goals we are losing and it is down to us not doing the basics right.

"But, change the way we play? Not a hope in hell. That's not being stubborn and I think the players would be the exact same as well."

He continued: "It always goes through your mind and it doesn't matter whether you are at Barcelona or Alloa Athletic Football Club, you think about it all the time.

"Thinking about the best way to help the players takes up 24/7 of your day.

"That's what I have said I want to do since the day I came; find the best way to get the most out of the players.

"If I wasn't comfortable and didn't think the players were comfortable then I wouldn't ask them to do it.

"What would we go and do? Just boot the ball up the pitch and get nothing from it?

"That's not me and it's not the players I have got, who have been outstanding."

Despite their plight, the Wasps have drawn plenty of plaudits for Grant's style of football and Arbroath manager Dick Campbell was the latest to rave about the Wee County side.

But, Grant knows they will have to cut out their mistakes if they are to climb up the table; starting on Saturday when Dunfermline Athletic come calling.

Grant said: "Every team we have played has said we are the best team they have found themselves up against so again there's no reason to change the way we play.

"There isn't a simple answer. It's not as if it has been one player who has been making the mistakes consistently. If it was, that would be easy because you can then solve that.

"That's not been the case and it has been different personnel in different situations.

"Some of the stuff they do is fantastic and look at the Dundee United game and they could have won that 4-0.

"Other teams will make errors but they are getting away with it and so we have to eradicate it."