ALLAN SALVONA said too many of his players let themselves down on Sunday.

Alloa Athletic Women's flying start to the season came crashing down with a 6-1 defeat at the hands of Harmony Row Women.

The result meant the Wasps dropped from top to third and Salvona believes his side need more self belief.

He told Advertiser Sport: "It's obviously a reality check when you get beat but too many players let themselves down based on the previous three performances.

"The emphasis was on starting well, but I just thought too many players let themselves down and their teammates to be perfectly honest.

"Three clean sheets prior, rightly, so the defence has had a lot of plaudits for those clean sheets but there was too much done out there that wasn't asked."

With the two teams joint top of the league, Salvona says there might have been a psychological element to the team's performance.

He said: "If I'm honest I put the pressure on the girls and said I wanted nine points from the three opening games and I want the girls to believe they should be at the top of the table and challenging for the top spot.

"They need to start having a bit of belief in themselves. The first 10 minutes we played the better football and within the first 30 seconds we could have been 1-0 up.

"I think too many of them lacked self-belief and they need to start recognising that they're better footballers when they get the ball on the deck.

"They're capable of playing against any team in the league."

There was positives for Salvona to take, including Heather Bundy's terrific goal – her first of the season.

He continued: "There certainly is [positives to take], the build-up to the goal, the finish from Bundy.

"I think sometimes we just become too reliable on defence at times.

"We were just flat today and after the first goal went in we stopped playing football and just resorted to hitting it first time.

"There was bits of the second half when we got the ball down and started playing and they really struggled so it shows we can do it.

"There are some positives to take but I think when you've had such a successful opening three games and then to be defeated like this it is a sore one to take."

Another positive for Salvona has been the additions to the squad and, as a result of those additions, the squad depth.

He said: "We've got players now who are not getting match time at all and are complaining to me about it and that's good, it gives us our strength in depth.

"The players that have come in have added a bit of quality to the squad as well and I think everyone's trying harder and fighting for their place whereas last year there was times when we were scraping a team together.

"We've got people who want to play here, they've been great additions. The girls that have came in, their attitude has been spot on.

"A couple made their debut today, played really, really well and put in a shift.

"We'll get there, girls are fitting in to the team. They'll push everyone on but we need to dust ourselves down and get ready for next weekend.

"We need to get back to passing the ball about and doing what we do well.

"We've got a huge pitch that we need to make the most of and we didn't do that [on Sunday].

"We need to get back to realising the best way to play is keeping the ball on the ground and passing it around the teams."