STEVEN HETHERINGTON says Alloa need to start picking up points soon as the season reaches the second half.

Alloa were beaten 3-1 by title hopefuls Hearts and the midfielder thinks the second goal, right on the stroke of half-time, killed the game.

He told Advertiser Sport: "I think, defensive-wise and in our shape, we started well.

"We pressed on the front foot, we were in the game and nullified them a wee bit, they're a top team and I don't think they really got going as much as they would have liked and I think that comes from our set-up at first.

"It was a good goal from their point of view, for the first one, but the second one kills [the game] a little bit.

"It gives us a mountain to climb in the second half, whereas if you go in one down you can regroup and stay in the game.

"I think defensively we were okay, but we maybe just need to be a little better in the final third when we get in there."

Despite being two goals and a man down, Alloa got a goal back and gave Hearts a nervy final few minutes.

Hetherington continued: "It's an element of nothing to lose. Down to ten men and 2-0 down, we may as well throw caution to the wind and try to get back in the game."

Next up for Alloa is a trip to Inverness Caley Thistle, and Hetherington thinks his team's recent record against them is a real cause for optimism.

"[We] went up there last year and had a couple of draws," he said. "They're a good team, a top team in our league.

"It'll be a good game, I think we need to take the confidence from the last few games and go up there and see what we can get, because we're more than capable of beating them."

Despite his red card, Hetherington says Lucas Williamson can be proud of his performance, and says now the whole squad needs to pull together.

He continued: "With everything that's going on, recruitment might be a little different to usual, but the young boys have come in and held their own.

"I thought Lucas was really good, against the best team in the league really, so I think he can be really proud of his performance.

"He never looked out of place and he can be proud of that, and take that into his next game and, hopefully, he can play soon.

"[The young players] have all held their own and everybody needs to pull in now, it's not long in terms of games left so we need to start picking up points sooner rather than later."