Pictures from yesterday`s @cinchuk League 1 @FalkirkFC @AlloaAthleticFC match now up on flickr. https://t.co/AZTL3WMl0F pic.twitter.com/Wi30e6Ge9r

— David Glencross (@dgxwasp) April 24, 2022

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-Cr6ZR7sL8

Pictures from Saturday`s @cinchuk League 1 match between @CoveRangersFC @AlloaAthleticFC now up on flickr. https://t.co/AZTL3WMl0F pic.twitter.com/3JHacW17ln

— David Glencross (@dgxwasp) April 17, 2022

https://youtu.be/FU8dtMdxLgI

Alloa converted 3 times in the second half to secure their most comfortable league win of the season.

The Wasps are unchanged from the 1-0 win over Peterhead and look to gain a rare back to back result against East Fife. The Fifers before the start of play were sitting just 3 points from Dumbarton after hauling themselves back into survival contention in recent weeks.

The first half was a timid affair with the Wasps often wasteful in attack. Sammon would have possibly the chance of the half early on but as he dragged the ball wide a vital foot knocked the ball away and the forward’s spinning effort was not threatening to Jude Smith’s goal.

East Fife’s focus on the first half was probably on the penalty shout that was very reminiscent of the award at the Indodrill where Durnan caught Connell with a forearm. Today, Durnan was luckier and despite jumping with an outstretched arm there was no penalty decision from the referee. Danny Swanson would have their only memorable effort of the half after deftly flicking the ball up and looping an effort into the side netting but Alloa goalkeeper PJ Morrison was happy to let it go after determining early it was off target.

Alloa’s other golden opportunity of the half fell after a corner from Scougall landed nicely for Howie. The centre half come left back managed to scoop the ball up awkwardly and his second touch finish was struck at an awkward height contributing to blazing the ball into the car park from 8 yards.

The second half did finally bring the breakthrough as Kevin Cawley struck home after a determined cross from Boyd found him in the box. It was a simple route one ball aimed for MacIver – he headed to Henderson who held the ball up and rolled it to the byline for Boyd to slide back for Cawley’s 71st Alloa goal.

Scougall struck another blow for East Fife as he won a penalty after driving through the East Fife box to draw a foul. Moving like a crisp packet in the wind Scougall danced around 3 East Fife defenders before being tripped. Stepping up to the responsibility himself, he drilled the penalty low into the corner past Smith.

East Fife had another big penalty shout denied after this and to be fair, Boyd looked to have tripped Denholm inside the box but this was immaterial to the result as Alloa continued to threaten a third.

It would soon arrive with a massive slice of luck. Henderson driving into the increasingly stretched East Fife defence smashed a shot toward goal, glancing it off the back off Steven Boyd and with the deflection, Jude Smith had no chance to get near the effort.

Alloa have now just a single defeat in their last six with momentum building to the end of the season.

Pictures from yesterday`s @EastFifeFC @AlloaAthleticFC @cinchuk League 1 match now up on flickr. https://t.co/AZTL3WMl0F pic.twitter.com/B4aOlOxMmu

— David Glencross (@dgxwasp) March 27, 2022

https://youtu.be/RQhqUSo_RZY

Pictures from yesterday`s @cinchuk League 1 match between @AlloaAthleticFC @pfcofficial now up on flickr. https://t.co/AZTL3WMl0F pic.twitter.com/9scPf9WdOl

— David Glencross (@dgxwasp) March 20, 2022

https://youtu.be/cBHHIEzjXok

Only two teams have never beaten Alloa in this year’s League 1, and Queen’s Park have endured an exceptionally bad time of recent meetings with no wins in their last 18 games against the Wasps. It was all change from Brian Rice’s team after he shuffled the deck again to assess his playing options. Sammon, Riley-Snow, Howie and O’Donnell start as Church, Boyd, Scougall and Cawley all fall to the bench from last week’s defeat against Airdrie.

It was a nervous start as Alloa were instantly opened by Luca Connell but the finish from Connor Smith was not up to the task of beating the impressive PJ Morrison in the Alloa goal. Jack Thomson was next to tee up a QP strike as his cross was almost converted by McHugh, but the rattled bar saved Alloa this time.

Euan Henderson sliced a 20 yard effort wide after Sena won the battle for the ball on the half hour mark and sent another looping effort safely into Ferrie’s hands but on the 35 minute mark Alloa should have taken the lead. Again Sena and Henderson combining but Sena’s poked effort from 8 yards was swiftly swatted aside when the Alloa striker looked to have rolled the combative midfielder in for the opener. A subsequent corner then exposed the weak defending of the Spiders but neither Sena or Howie could connect with a finish to make the breakthrough.

Charlie Fox was spared any blushes as he rattled a ball of his sitting midfielder. This gaffe almost freed Henderson who charged through on goal past the helpless Queen’s Park defenders only to try to place an effort into the bottom corner but the tameness of the shot gave Ferrie ample time to get a hand to divert.

Bob McHugh almost grabbed the opener as QP made a rare penetrating break, but again the striker cannoned his driven shot off the bar to allow the sides a goalless tally at half time.

That would soon change. 4 minutes into the second half Mark Durnan stabbed home from an exquisite in-swinging corner from Adam King that eliminated goalkeeper and defence of the Spiders for his 4th goal of the season.

Mark Durnan opens the scoring for @AlloaAthleticFC in today`s 1-1 draw with @queensparkfc in @cinchuk League 1 pic.twitter.com/Sc5q0wBa8G

— David Glencross (@dgxwasp) March 12, 2022

Both teams probed for next goal but it was Connor Smith who sent two notable strikes at Morrison, and the Alloa keeper denied his opponent with strong hands. Substitute Steven Boyd skint Fox with an agile spin forcing a foul and the first booking of the game for the centre back but King’s free kick was simple for Ferrie.

Alloa were the architects of their own demise as Sena’s light dink proved too short for Taggart. Queen’s Park broke quickly, Darcy and McBride combined and Bolton loanee Ronan Darcy smashed a wild strike into the top corner to grab an equaliser from what previously looked like an uninspired and increasingly languid Queen’s strikeforce. Alloa would try to grab the late winner again at Firhill but Cawley saw a promising drive blocked and Boyd’s last kick of the game was not potent enough to pass Ferrie.

Pictures from yesterday`s @queensparkfc @AlloaAthleticFC @cinchuk League 1 match now up on flickr.https://t.co/AZTL3WMl0F pic.twitter.com/KNuCmzyYeO

— David Glencross (@dgxwasp) March 13, 2022