THERE'S one thing Heather Dickson is always guaranteed to give when she pulls on that Alloa jersey and that's commitment.

Having never played 11 a side football before joining Alloa, the 32-year-old has been coaching for a number of years but only recently decided to make the move to playing and she hasn't looked back since.

Dickson joined Allan Salvona's side and played 45 minutes in her debut. Since then, she's played every minute.

A service coordinator for SAMH, Dickson also coaches two age groups with Braehead Amateurs and is the physio for the first team.

She told Advertiser Sport: "I'd actually never played an 11-a-side game. Played at school in the primary school team but was too shy and nervous for the high school team

"I didn't play until maybe a year and a half ago. Braehead started a ladies walking football team and just to make sure they got a game we went along to support it.

"We were never going to get into a league and a few of us decided to start a recreational team. We started playing festivals once a month on a Sunday."

Dickson saw the advert for players to join the Wasps but didn't have the confidence to attend the open day. However, she took part in a session and loved it.

"I'm really glad that I've done it now," she added. "It was a case of if I don't do it now I'll never do it because I'm 32.

"I thought If I don't do it now I'm never going to get the shot to try it so i just flung myself into it. It helped that Hayley [Preece] came with me as well.

"She said: 'Let's just do it'. She's older as well, this is her last chance so the two of us just went together and did it.

"It's been brilliant. The rest of the girls have said there was one night where it just clicked and it did.

"Since then it's been absolutely brilliant. There's a really good atmosphere around the club and Allan's great as well. You get the fun out of the session but you get the hard work as well and that is what I think everyone needs."

Dickson continued: "The first away game I drove and there was a car load of us, there was five of us and we've just continued that. Any other away game it's the five of us in the car together.

"It's good before the game – the first one it was a bit awkward because we didn't really know each other – but on the way back the conversation was really good and it helps

when girls who have played a while are able to say this is maybe something to work on and I'm happy to take that because I haven't played before."

Like other players, Dickson reflects on a Thursday night training session and the match against East Fife that followed as a turning point for the team.

She continued: "After that night everyone talks, everyone's included and it's not segregated. The East Fife game was a turning point. The atmosphere after it was great.

"Being in your own changing room, having the music going…it's hard to describe but it was a really good day and we've managed to keep it going.

"The session was great, the stuff we were doing was really, really good. The people that we've got in now, nobody thinks they're better than anybody and everybody wants to help.

"Even our WhatsApp chat, when I first joined it there was nothing said. After that Thursday everyone speaks now, it's nice."

The team's last match was against McDermid Ladies and the Wasps lost 2-0, conceding two goals in the final five minutes.

Dickson continued: "I don't think it was as good as east fife if I'm honest. I give my absolute all, I left everything on the pitch that night.

"Defensively we were very strong as we always are. I left a bit of myself on the park, I couldn't have done any more. It was really gutting to concede a penalty in the 85th minute. It was a good game, not as good as East Fife but we all gave everything we could to it."

Soon the season will pause for the summer break but Dickson is more than optimistic about the second half of the season.

She said: "We don't give up easily, we're not going to give you goals. You're going to have to work for it.

"Allan's brilliant and I think all the girls take something away from him and his attitude is great. Allan did say Thursday was the best game I've had so I can definitely take confidence from that.

"It's really difficult to dictate what the results are going to be in that league. There's no reason we can't come back stronger."