ALLOA boss Peter Grant says his side's defending was "criminal" in their defeat to Raith Rovers on Saturday and the visitors deserved their victory.

Two goals in the first half were followed by three in the second for Raith and despite Alloa reducing the deficit to one on two occasions, they couldn't stay in the game long enough to get that next goal.

Grant said: "I thought Raith done very well, I think I said after the Inverness game they [ICT and Raith Rovers] were probably the two sides I'd seen this season who I was very impressed with so it was no surprise how they played, but goals are what win you games and lose you games and, unfortunately, our defending was criminal.

"I thought we were really poor defensively as a team against the ball. Raith thoroughly deserved the victory, I can't complain about it."

He continued: "You can't lose five goals at home, it's criminal. But, saying that, the goals we lost were down to us. Even the last goal sums it up: great piece of individual skill but such poor defending but I don't want to take away from the boy because it's a terrific piece of skill."

Looking ahead, Grant added: "We know we're more than capable of matching anyone in the league but to do that you've got to defend well and do the basics well and we didn't do that in the first goal we lose.

"It's something we have to eradicate or we'll have a lot of days like this because they are the basics of football."

Neil Parry was substituted at half-time and Grant explained the keeper felt something in his groin and he didn't want to risk him.

He said: "Early in the game he got a ball rolled back to him, he's kicked it and a bit of his groin was sore. To be fair to Neilly he wanted to play the second half but I just feel in those situations you can't take that chance."