BRIAN RICE admitted Dunfermline deserved to win on Saturday as he watched his side fail to capitalise on their chances.

The Pars took three points from the Indodrill thanks to goals from Aaron Comrie, Matty Todd and Craig Wighton.

Alloa had plenty of chances in the second half but couldn't score as they were thwarted by a brilliant Deniz Mehmet.

Rice said: "I thought the first half was tough, we didn't really start the game and I was hoping to get in at 1-0 down to make a few changes and then lost a really, really poor second goal.

"A simple ball over the top and the goalie's in no man's land – it's not his fault, we should have defended it better.

"Second half we've came out, had a right go at them, a right few chances. The difference is they took their chances and we didn't."

Reflecting on Todd's goal, which came right on the stroke of half time, Rice said: "It was a big blow, I'm not going to lie.

"At 1-0 I couldn't wait for the half time whistle to blow so I could get in there because I knew I was going to change the personnel and the shape.

"To lose the goal right on half time was a major blow to us. But I must say the boys came out in the second half and had a go, the goalkeeper made three or four really good saves for them and, like I say, we gave a soft third goal away but, overall, at least we had a go."

Rice continued: "Sometimes goalkeepers have good games and Deniz had a really good game for Dunfermline in the second half.

"He made vital saves at vital times, it was 2-0 when he made a couple of really good saves but that's all hindsight.

"You've got to take your chances, Dunfermline took their chances so they deserved to win."

The defeat ends Alloa's five match unbeaten run but Rice says he simply takes it game by game.

He said: "A run's just Saturday to Saturday. I don't look at two games, three games. Saturday to Saturday, it's a game at a time and so be it if it's four games [or] five games, it doesn't matter.

"It's what happens on a Saturday that counts so we'll lick our wounds, we'll go back [and] work hard this week as we always do and we'll prepare for a really tough game against Airdrie next week."

Bradley Rodden had a couple of great chances he couldn't convert. On being substituted he shook his head but Rice pulled him back and had a word with an arm around his shoulder.

Rice said: "I think he had a disappointing afternoon. He's come here from literally nowhere and he's lit the place up with his goals and his assists.

"He had a few chances, I just said to him, 'you get days like that'. Sometimes they go in, sometimes they don't. As long as you don't get the head down, you've just got to keep going and work hard."

Next up for the Wasps is the visit of Airdrie on Saturday and Rice is looking forward to what will surely be another entertaining match.

He said: "It's another really tough game, Airdrie are a really good team.

"This is a brilliant league, it's a brilliant league to be involved in.

"The games are good, they're exciting and it'll be another good game."