DUMBARTON manager Stevie Aitken is set to wield the axe on the Sons players who let him down in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Alloa.

The Wasps arrived at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium without a point to their name from the first four league ties. With Sons starting as favourties for the first time in this year’s Championship, and optimism from early wins over Hibs and St Mirren still lingering, hopes were high of three points for Aitken’s men.

However a second-half strike from Graeme Holmes and Eddie Ferns’ stoppage time goal put paid to that.

Despite Dumbarton’s control of the game, particularly in the first half, Alloa goalkeeper David Hamilton was rarely troubled and Atiken admitted there is much work ahead for his team before their trip to Morton on Saturday – a game some of Saturday’s starting lineup look set to watch from the bench.

He said: “I didn’t see that coming to be honest with you, I thought we had plenty of possession and control of the game.

“The first goal changed the complexion of the game, from being in control to all of a sudden giving them the lead. They made it difficult for us by getting men behind the ball and you’re always liable to lose something on the break.

“There is a lot of work ahead there is no doubt, we’re not going to be shy here. We had a terrific start in the first two games but we now have an awful lot of work to do.

“I find out more about my players every week and you’ll probably find some of them won’t be playing next week.” Aitken was angered by the manner in which his side conceded the crucial opening goal. Willie Gibson was adjudged to have committed a foul on the edge on Dumbarton’s box, a decision Gibson and other Sons players were contesting with referee Craig Charleston. Alloa’s Connor McManus was alert and took it quickly to play in Holmes who finished beyond Mark Brown.

The Sons boss blasted his players for losing focus at a crucial point in the game.

He said: “To lose the goals in the manner we did, take the second one away because we are chasing the game by then. But to lose the first goal in that manner, by switching off a free-kick.

“The issue for me is not whether it was a free-kick or not, but too many of our players are wanting to argue with the referee rather than concentrating on the game. And that changed the complexion of the game.” Dumbarton are yet to score from open play this season in the league with their five goals coming from set pieces. Aitken conceded he is concerned at how little his team were able to work the goalkeeper on Saturday.

He said: “It is a concern, because the amount of ball we had we didn’t work the keeper enough. That is what we have to look at and what we need to be working on. We are bitterly disappointed about that. It was only towards the end when young Donald McCallum came on, he gave us a wee spark.

“You’re relying on a kid at 18 to come on a give you a spark, then some of the senior pros in the team need to take a look at themselves. They now know what is acceptable and what is not acceptable and the last few games have not been acceptable.”