DANIEL CHURCH admitted Saturday’s draw with Cove Rangers felt like a defeat but added there’s lots of positives to take from the match.

Alloa took a two goal lead into the interval but a red card and two Cove goals saw the teams share the spoils.

Speaking exclusively to Advertiser Sport after the match, Church said: “We should have probably came away with a win. The way we started in the first half, obviously high energy, you could tell the way the manager set out to play. Take the game to them.

“They’re top of the league, [looking] to win the league and we showed we can dominate.

"It is frustrating, it feels like a loss at the end of the day.

"They got a bit of momentum with the red but [there’s] a lot of positives to take from the game, especially in the first half.

“With the way the game went, we were two up at half time but it could have been three or four.

"Decisions change games, obviously the red card changed the game.

"They get a bit of momentum, start putting strikers on and get balls into the box. At the end of the day it’s frustrating and it does feel like a loss.”

Brian Rice tweaked the formation, playing with two wing-backs and a back three, which Church enjoyed.

He continued: “Me and Kev played as wing-backs. I like it. A big part of my game is going forward, getting crosses in, getting by defenders and getting in at the back post so playing that extra 10 yards forward is obviously going to encourage me to do that.

"I think we’re only going to get stronger, working more with the manager and getting his thoughts across more.”

Rice said he had a brilliant first week with the squad and it’s clear Church thought the same.

On the two sessions, Church said: “Brilliant, a lot of detail [and] a lot of structure. You can tell right away, from the first session on Tuesday night, he definitely knows his stuff.

"The way he comes across, his attention to detail; the finer things that are going to make a difference in the game like throw-ins and set pieces.

"The detail is brilliant and so there’s nine games left now and I’m really looking forward to every game now. Working with the manager I think we can go on a run.

“We had a big part of the season where we went on a bad run but four points from the last two games, I think it has turned the tide now and we’re looking up the way.”

After a stuttering start to life in Alloa, Church has cemented his place in the starting line up.

The young defender was candid and honest about the issues he believes impacted his first half of the season.

He said: “Being honest I came into the team off the back of a knee operation in the summer so I feel like mentally I wasn’t really there.

“I think that affected me on the pitch, before the game, during the game. My mindset wasn’t there.

“Being in and out of the team I think I’ve benefitted from that, had time to sort my head out and get things going.

“I think I came back into the team [against] Airdrie on Boxing Day and I feel as if I’ve started to prove myself a lot more since then, being consistent and got a run in the team and I just hope that continues until the end of the season now.”