PETER GRANT may have been prone to nosebleeds whenever he worked his way into an opponent's box during his illustrious career.

But, as a coach in both England and Scotland, he's worked with some of the best in the business at putting the ball in the back of the net.

It's little wonder then the Alloa gaffer is keen to address his side's inability to turn fluid football into goals in their battle to avoid the drop from Scotland's second-tier.

The Wasps have earned plenty of plaudits from their opponents for their style of play – "Barcelona on the ball, Atletico Madrid off it," as the early season soundbite goes – but after suffering their fourth straight defeat they will now spend Christmas Day bottom of the pile.

Only Arbroath have scored less than the Wasps and one man Grant hopes can inspire his players is Rangers striker Jermain Defoe.

The former Celtic skipper worked with the England hitman during a fruitful seven month spell at Bournemouth during the 2000-01 season, where Defoe notched ten goals in ten successive league games.

"There were a few opportunities when we got into good areas and could have taken an early strike but we took an extra touch," Grant said in the wake of his side's 2-0 defeat to Greenock Morton.

"That's why I go down to one-touch even in training because you don't get that opportunity at the highest level.

"You get minimal time and that's the same at our level as we are playing against very good players.

"We have to have the belief to strike; it could deflect off somebody. People talk about Jermain Defoe and he was the best I ever worked with.

"You saw it on Friday night when he just took a touch and bang.

"We have to get into that habit because that changes the game completely because in-between both boxes they've played a lot of good stuff.

"But, what wins you trophies and what wins you leagues and keeps you in the league is what you do in your own box and in the opposition's box."

The Wasps played some impressive stuff during the first-half of their clash with the Ton only for a wonder Nicky Cadden strike to open the scoring.

Jack Baird ghosted in unmarked to make it two shortly after as Alloa struggled to create any clear cut openings.

Grant, 54, said: "We had a ten minute spell and we knew Morton were going to put us under pressure.

"But, if you think about the way we lost the first goal, we tried to play our way out of it and that was silly.

"We gave the ball away and it came in and you then concede a wonder strike. Then, we don't pick up on the next one.

"The one thing Morton will always do is test you and put the ball into the box and they had some great quality in the first half.

"When you are doing that it's the time the concentration levels have to be at a maximum and I felt we let them drop and it cost us the game."