Alloa Athletic Women continued their impressive unbeaten run in 2026 with a 2–1 friendly win over Thornton Hibs Ladies — a result that reflected both progress on the pitch and growing strength within the squad.
The match provided an opportunity for manager Allan Milne to experiment with his full squad. All 19 squad members featured across the 90 minutes. With league and cup fixtures on the horizon, the afternoon was as much about preparation and competition for places as it was about the result — though maintaining momentum will be a major boost to Milne.
Alloa took the lead through recent signing Nicole Smith, who made it two goals in two games since joining the club. Smith’s forward instincts were in full flow as she poked in front of the Hibs defence to turn it past the goalkeeper and notch the opener.
The second goal marked a significant moment for winger Emily Gray, who has now officially signed for the club. Gray impressed throughout with quality and composure on the ball, which showed in her goal.
Ghosting into the box Gray picked up a great area to expertly flick the cross goalward bound and double the hosts advantage.
The former Stirling University and Falkirk player adds experience to the Wasps’ ranks having also spent time in the United States with the University of New Haven.
Thornton Hibs grabbed a late consolation in the second half, but Alloa’s control for much of the contest ensured the victory.
The friendly also highlighted the club’s strengthening depth, with Gray’s signing following recent additions Smith and Rachael Whyte. Competition within the squad has intensified in recent weeks, something Milne believes is already raising standards.
We are delighted to add a player like Emily to the group. She has been training with us for a while now and you can see her qualities straight away. To get her minutes on Sunday was important and it was great to see her performance rewarded for a goal.
Allan Milne
Over the last few weeks, we have added Nicole (Smith) and Rachael (Whyte) to the squad and it is undoubtedly the strongest it has been this season.
Sunday was a good test for us. We were able to use all 19 players in the squad, which shows how competitive it is. Winning is always nice and it keeps us ticking over for some big league and cup games coming up.
With an unbeaten 2026 continuing and new signings bedding in quickly, Alloa now turn their focus back to league action.
A challenging away fixture against league leaders Bishopton awaits on Sunday, 22 February, as they look to carry their strong form into the crunch point of the season.
