TEN league games without a win. Five points from a possible 30 since. No league clean sheet since September 18. Only above the relegation play-off place by a margin of goal difference.

The performance by Alloa in the first 45 minutes of their defeat to Clyde on Saturday may go down as the worst of what is slowly becoming a season to forget.

Passes were either short or lacked conviction. Shots weren't convincing. And, perhaps the most damning thing of all, Clyde took the lead without being much better themselves.

Alloa started with a strong team. Daniel Church retained his place at left back after a decent, if not entirely inspiring, run of recent form. A solid enough midfield of Adam King and Jon Robertson was backed up by the first January arrival Blaise Riley-Snow and in front of them Kevin Cawley and Steven Boyd supported Conor Sammon.

Robertson then left the field around 10 minutes into the game after sustaining a nasty facial injury and was replaced by Stefan Scougall – a player only just returning to the squad after an injury.

Clyde have been one of Alloa's bogey teams this year, taking six points from the team's first two meetings. Saturday was an opportunity to right that wrong, but the Wasps failed to make the most of it.

The first real chance for Alloa fell to Cawley who fired a speculative effort at former Alloa goalkeeper Neil Parry but he was equal to the shot and pushed it wide.

A long ball forward by Scott Taggart was controlled well by Sammon and he managed to find a pass. Cawley, receiving the ball, laid off Boyd but his left footed shot was weak.

Eventually, Clyde took the lead. Mark Durnan completely misjudged a bouncing ball and gave away a totally unnecessary foul.

Barry Ferguson couldn't quite allow himself to give Clyde the plaudits for a clever free kick, instead berating the foul that lead to the goal. But the goal was clever and deserved recognition.

Three men were involved and they faked a mishap before rolling the ball into the path of Aaron Splaine who spun and struck past David Hutton.

Arguably the best move of the half highlighted Alloa's need for reinforcements up top. An unbelievable through ball by Scougall found Church's run and he delivered a cross many strikers would dream of; however, Sammon didn't gamble.

Taggart would recover the ball and cut it back to Boyd but he could only launch his volley over the bar.

After the interval it was clear that words were exchanged in the dressing room as Alloa came out flying.

First, Durnan clipped a clever through ball to Sammon who controlled it well and poked it towards Parry but the keeper saved. Cawley would then control Church's cross and strike but once again the keeper kept it out of the back of the net.

A great chance to equalise then fell to King, who took the ball around Parry, but could only smash the post.

If King's chance was great, Scougall's was golden. Somehow the ball fell to him in the box and bounced perfectly for a half volley but he could only blast it over on his weaker foot.

But, as Alloa pressed for the equaliser, Clyde pounced.

Graham took a booking for a professional foul on David Goodwillie and Mark Docherty stepped up to take the resulting free kick. A decent effort from distance was saved by Hutton but he could only palm the ball into the path of an onrushing Gregory Tade who prodded the ball into the net.

With the game pretty much over and chants of "sacked in the morning" ringing around the stadium – from both sets of fans, it must be said – Alloa halved the deficit.

Church's cross was headed on by Sammon and somehow Scougall was strong enough to hold off a man and squeeze the ball past Parry.

Of course, it was too little too late.

The stats don't lie. Alloa are having a terrible season, and something has to change. Next up for the Wasps is a trip to Peterhead, who currently sit two points above them but, like Clyde, have beaten Ferguson's men every time they've played this season.

Three days later, they'll host Falkirk, currently six points above them.

The final play off spot is eight points away. It's not impossible for the Wasps to get there, in theory, but on current form they have no chance.

Talk at the start of the season was an instant bounce back to the Championship. All associated with the club must be honest with themselves. Alloa are slipping closer and closer to a relegation battle.

Ten league games without a win is the kind of form that sees managers relived of their duties and Ferguson will know that. This winless run cannot continue.

ALLOA: Hutton, Taggart, Graham, Durnan, Church, Robertson (Scougall), King, Riley-Snow, Cawley (O'Donnell), Boyd, Sammon. UNUSED: Burt, Howie, Armstrong, Mendy