Alloa returned to the Dumbarton Football Stadium for the first time since the 2-0 win in the playoffs launched our 3 year championship stint back in May 2018. This season both teams are in the mix for what looks like a tasty promotion battle with 7 teams within three points of the top. Alloa named a single change as Scougall came in for Connor Sammon from last weeks triumph in Montrose.

Alloa impressed in the first half. Solid at the back and the creators of the best chances. Scougall volleyed a cross past Ramsbottom in the Dumbarton goal but Buchanan was there to clear any danger inside the six yard box. Adam King, clearly still flying from his wonder strike at Links Park, smashed a first time effort destined for the top corner if not for a quick hands of the Son’s keeper. While Henderson was only stopped by a cynical foul by Duthie after some incisive running. He was soon withdrawn with what looked like a hamstring issue, the attacks didn’t stop with Scougall and Durnan both winning headers but failing to direct them on target as Alloa pressured for the opener.

In the 45th minute, Taggart’s by-line cross was aimed at O’Donnell. Dumbarton could only flick it up in the air and so the predatory Steven Boyd latched on to the free ball and unleashed a low volley under Ramsbotttom from 12 yards.

The second half held a strange holding pattern. It seemed to trend with Alloa working the ball up the field, giving away cheap fouls and inviting more pressure as the increasingly desperate Dumbarton lumped crosses into the box.

While King had an early opportunity screwed wide. Dumbarton were inches away from creating an opening with Duthie just too short to connect to Buchanan’s lofted through ball. Callum Wilson’s free kick was a stramash in the box which fell to Edin Lynch but the defender could only tamely aim it at Hutton. Buchanan earned a free header after some questionable pushing on the Alloa captain Durnan, but thankfully his connection sent the ball high over the Alloa goal. Callum Wilson’s in swinging delivery was again a thorn in the side for Alloa as Durnan misjudged a leaping header leaving the cross to land at the feet of sub Ross McLean, only to blaze over from inside 10 yards. .

Despite winning the ball back from what looked like a foul and a grabbing a handful of Stefan Scougall’s shirt, Dumbarton picked up a corner. It was ultimately the end for Scougall, who delayed the game getting treatment before being withdrawn in a double substitution with Boyd for Sammon and Cawley. After a much delayed corner, Wilson found the head of Paddy Boyle. Boyle glanced it towards goal off the ground and it bounced past Hutton and over Dan Church on the line to give Dumbarton the equaliser.

Mouhamed ‘Sena’ Niang had another handsome performance in the midfield and had enjoyed a favourable running battle with Son’s midfielder Stuart Carswell and the Dumbarton man was lucky to only receive a yellow after giving Sena an incredibly late boot as the on-loan Partick Thistle star danced past him.

Ross McLean would volley over for what was the last note of attack for Dumbarton but Alloa almost sealed three points with the clearly aggravated Niang executing a driving and firing at goal from just outside the 6 yard box only to be denied by Ramsbottomm.

It was on the whole another solid display in Dumbarton as both sides shared a point.

Barry Ferguson, Alloa Manager

“First half we were good in terms of hitting on the counter. Dumbarton have had some great results. Stephen Farrell’s got a right good team here, a physical team, which we knew would be tough. We came to get three points but with the injuries to Scougs and Hendo it was tough. Scougall’s not trained all week with having a new baby. Down the line this’ll probably be a decent point, but we want to win every game we play.”

“It was a good finish from Steve Boyd. Boyd’s pace in behind worked in the first half, in bits, but in the second, I said to him at half time it would need to continue – we were good in the first with winning the first ball and if not winning that we were on to the second, which was pleasing but we’d like to have that level of consistency off [the players]”

“We got negative comments but I’ll stick up for my boys, first half excellent, second half we were poor but it wasn’t for a lack of trying and that’s one thing about my team: My boys still worked hard for me. There’s a small section of fans out with the majority who want to support the team, I understand that they want to win every game but when it becomes personal, I don’t like it. It’s not just me it’s the players noticing it. We’ve had a big turnaround in players, and they need to realise it doesn’t happen overnight. We’re still in touching distance of the top [of the league.] Constructive criticism I can take all day, but I’ve had enough of the negative stuff with having a go at players not trying hard enough. It’s not been great but the players out there still run, still work.”

Alloa triumphed over a bright Montrose team with two first half goals from ‘Sena’ and King.

Alloa were looking to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat on Tuesday against Airdrieonians. Sammon was a catalyst for the half hour fightback in that game and he rightfully started up front. Church came in at left back and Robertson slotted back into his natural CM position for Kevin Cawley. Scougall was another notable absentee, but his partner is just about to give birth so probably a wise decision not to travel.

Alloa started in very disjointed fashion with a loud claim for a penalty denied by referee Alan Newlands. It was one that was almost certainly a foul as Robertson clattered through the back of Blair Lyons. Still, Newlands wouldn’t have long to wait to award a penalty, even more galling when this time, Lyons rounded Hutton, knocked the ball too wide and clipped his own heels to win the spot kick. Up stepped Lewis Milne to the spot to deliver an effort wide of Hutton’s post, both bereft of power and placement, and probably covered anyway by the Alloa goalkeeper guessing the correct way.

The Wasps almost suckered today’s hosts when Niang and Sammon won the ball high up the park but spurned their opportunity to take a clear shot with Niang blocked as he checked back into the cul-de-sac of defenders. Montrose continued to look the more likely to score until the 26th minute when Whatley was robbed by the marauding Niang and the midfielder drilled it low to Allan Fleming’s left side and into the net.

Craig Brown was the next to line up an opportunity as Craig Johnston neatly laid off inside the 18 yard box. The story of Montrose’s day seemed to be the lack of finishing ability as their interplay well merited a goal.

Again, the visitors proved more adept going forward as Henderson drove to the corner flag, Dillon could only clear as far as Niang, who played himself into space with a neat one-two with Henderson before squaring to King and winning an Alloa advantage. King, though, in inspired fashion blazed an effort into the top corner leaving Montrose stunned and Alloa comfortable despite a trying half.

In the second period the Wasps defended the lead well and indeed looked to increase their lead. Hutton’s penalty box was only catching practice for the remainder of the half, except for a late Andrew Steeves effort which would have found the bottom corner if not for the cushioned glove of the Alloa goalkeeper while Fleming in the Montrose goal denied Henderson from close range, was almost lobbed from deep by King and had an effort from Cawley cleared off the line by one of his defenders after both he and Steven Boyd had rounded the Gable Endies stopper.

Alloa’s first away win in the league lifts them to within 3 points of leaders Queen’s Park, although the same can be said for almost the whole league with 3 points between 7th placed Falkirk and the summit.

After a pleasing performance and result against Falkirk on Saturday, Alloa stuttered to a uninspiring defeat in Airdrie. The first 45 minutes of the game at the Excelsior Stadium was a languid affair with Alloa having plenty of the ball but proving powerless to penetrate a packed Diamonds defence. After a couple of early snapshots went wide the home side took the lead from Alloa’s slackness. Niang who was a hero against Falkirk turned villain as he gave the ball away cheaply, Airdrie counter-attacked and the whipped cross found the head of Gallagher who had drifted off the back of Fernandy Mendy. While Hutton managed to stand up to the opening effort it would only ricochet back to the Airdrie striker to finish left-footed high into the net. Despite the deficit, Alloa were struggling to inject some tempo into the game and despite, their at times, neat interplay Currie in the Airdrie goal was rarely called into action.

As the second half started things became even worse for the Wasps as Adam Frizzell curled an outside of the right-boot effort around Hutton from 25 yards. Boyd almost sparked a reply as his quick feet beat two Airdrie defenders and subsequently won a corner. Durnan was unmarked around 6 yards, sending it past the goallie only to be cleared from the line.

Quick reactions from the visiting bench as on came Church and Sammon for Cawley and Niang. Sammon had an instant impact. Holding the ball up and running in the pocket, he one-two’d with Scougall and then opened his body up to swerve around Max Currie and find the bottom corner. It makes it two goals in two substitute appearances for Sammon after his effort to secure the Falkirk win on Saturday. Things could have been even better for the big Irishman as Taggart whipped in an effort and he could only head directly at the Airdrie keeper. Momentum swung towards Alloa, but despite the flow of play towards the Airdrie goal, they could not find that decisive equaliser and as the Airdrie players broke up the games’ momentum, it meandered towards a home victory and an Alloa disappointment.

Alloa overcame their close neighbours in what was ultimately a routine home win for the Wasps. Alloa handed a debut to new Hearts loanee Euan Henderson, while Scougall made way after feeling unwell before the game, in the only forced change, from the side that started last week’s win over Cowdenbeath.

Alloa had the best of the opportunities as Boyd broke through and Trouten bounced a diving header wide. They would grab the breakthrough as Taggart lobbed a curling ball over everyone for the run of Henderson who eventually prodded home with a slow roll of the ball past Mutch. Alarm bells were ringing for Alan Trouten who was instantly removed from the field of play after receiving some treatment on his errant hamstring. Cammy O’Donnell joining the play in sad circumstances.

While the Wasps goalkeeper was active, only one curling effort required a serious save in the first half. Alloa were dealt another serious blow when red hot Boyd felt unfit to continue on 40 minutes. Former Bairn Conor Sammon replaced him. O’Donnell unleashed a volley from 30 yards that narrowly missed Mutch’s woodwork and passed up a glorious cutback where he could only find the Falkirk goalkeeper.

Falkirk threatened early, twice in the second half but again it was the Wasps who were superior. A deep free kick aimed to Durnan, was nodded across goal for Sammon to seal the three points. Alloa closed out the game almost flawlessly, with only one hairy moment as Ompreon was denied an exquisite finish by Hutton’s fingertips and the resulting corner was saved by a goal line clearance from King.