Competition: Championship
 
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Heart of Midlothian v Alloa Athletic
Alloa have never beaten Hearts in a competitive fixture but they have regularly made an awkward game for Robbie Neilson’s sides in recent years. Both teams looking to bounce back from disappointing results at the weekend with Hearts losing to league leaders Dunfermline and Alloa losing to what looks like near rivals this season Queen of the South.
Unfortunately for Alloa on the night they were quickly punished. 3 Alloa players draw to Roberts’ shot. 1 lucky rebound and Halliday in acres of space. He dinked the cross over Naismith but Michael Smith who was charging into the space vacated at the back post drilled home past helpless Parry to make it 1-0.
Halliday threatened himself soon after but smashed his effort over the bar. On 24 minutes, he would make no mistake. Alloa having opened themselves up once more left Hearts and Halliday with a gaping hole to roll him in and he slotted past the goalkeeper to double the ‘Jam Tart’s’ lead.
A third through the game and Alloa had a strong shout for a penalty denied as Berra tripped Thomson as a deep freekick was floated in. Officials ignored the contact but almost a free way back into the game for the Wasps.
Alloa were caught again soon after in transition from a corner. With Grant getting sucked out to the touchline and Thomson and Trouten left on defensive duties Walker breezed in behind to cut back to Haring. His first time effort sealed the victory after only 37 minutes.
In the second half there was a competitive nature to Alloa. Innes Murray with a low daisy cutter grabbing a rare shot on target. The damage had been done in the first half and the second was a routine and fairly drab affair. Boyce did make the highlight reel after winning a penalty with the one time Hearts opened up Alloa in the second half. He poorly executed his effort from the spot with Parry saving low to his right but was given a reprieve as the Alloa goalkeeper came off his line. With the second attempt, he opted for power. Drilling it almost centrally at Parry’s goal. The power was a bit too much and he smashed the crossbar with the ball ricocheting high into the stand behind.
Alloa didn’t crumble in the second half and kept it competitive but they’ll need to find some guile up front and some defensive solidity to meet Hearts in the Betfred Cup on Saturday with any hope of progressing.
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Queen of the South v Alloa Athletic
The Wasps and the Doonhamers have both yet to pick up Championship wins and both sit on just a point after their opening fixtures.
Alloa heavily rotated against Stenhousemuir and returned to the same XI that drew 3-3 with Dundee with one change, Neil Parry, ruled out from injury since the third game of the season against Edinburgh City, returned between the sticks.
The game started at a slow pace with both sides sizing each other up. Liam Dick made an especially noteworthy block as Queen of the South lobbed over Taggart at CB and the left back vitally recovered to block Aidan Fitzpatrick’s effort. The next massive talking point was what looked like a Queen of the South penalty. Connor Shields’ blocked cross found its way to Maxwell who headed into Parry’s hands but fractionally late Andy Graham put his head into the left back’s cheek. The captain was on the floor and instantly the surrounding players signalled to the bench. After a stoppage and heavy strapping applied to Graham, the game continued. Alloa carved open a chance in the box. Kevin Cawley running into trouble cut back to Robert Thomson. He cut inside his man to open up the opportunity for the left footed drive but his shot tamely found its way into Leighfield’s waiting arms. On 34 minutes Alloa carved open Queen of the South. Maxwell was again floored by the quick feet and strong running of Thomson and his cutback to Alan Trouten was lifted over the bar by the midfield hitman. A disappointed Adam Brown who was himself unmarked summed up the magnitude of the missed opportunity with his outstretched arms.
Minutes later Alloa would be punished for their profligacy. Queen of the South who left their men forward from a corner, quickly taking a throw-in and freeing up the space in behind Liam Dick, floated a cross into the centre. Gregor Buchanan jumped early, and with the aid of his hands holding down Andy Graham, stayed up to nod the effort into the net. The appeals to referee Beaton were bizarrely shrugged off on the basis of the earlier penalty shout for Queen of the South and the captain was left to rue having not gone down under the Queen’s centre back’s challenge.
Alloa had not got going in the pedestrian first half and after the break they were instantly sucker punched. Aidan Fitzpatrick spinning away from Raymond Grant, stumbling after another couple steps after a slight contact won an incredibly soft free kick. Up stepped Joe McKee, who dispatched it perfectly to find the corner of Neil Parry’s net and double the misery of the Wasps.
Despite Alloa’s careful probing Queen of the South contentedly sat back and hit on the counter. They would carve Alloa open with another two or three gilt-edged opportunities. Alloa should have had a penalty late on as Trouten was irreventially hauled to the floor but a serious lack of chances created will worry the Wasps’ who now sit bottom ahead of their double header with Heart of Midlothian in the following week.
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Alloa Athletic v Dundee
Alloa and Dundee were both looking to overcome what’s been a sub-par start to the season for both teams. Alloa, still looking for their first points, bring back Steven Hetherington and Adam Brown in place of Innes Murray and Lee Connelly, respectively. Dundee meanwhile were rocked by a positive COVID-19 test. With one player confirmed infected they were without any adequate cover at CB, with Jordan McGhee their only recognised central defender. Right back Cammy Kerr would slot in in a makeshift Dee defence.
‘The Wasps’ were first break the deadlock. Adam Brown’s corner failed to beat the first man but found it’s way back to the midfielder. Amidst the chaos of the transitioning Dundee defence Robert Thomson was in acres of space. Brown’s delivery left it on a platter for Alloa’s top scorer to slot past the helpless Calum Ferrie.
Dundee came out energised at the second half and leveled from a Declan McDaid volley. Unsighted with the ball coming through a crowd of players, Willison, who was rooted to the spot could only watch as it raced into the bottom corner. With the seeming momentum with the away side, Alloa struck back. Liam Dick headed into the mix and ever agile and dangerous in the box Cawley shot off Trouten’s layoff, but saw his effort straight at Ferrie saved. Alan Trouten, thankfully, anticipated the rebound and handily tapped home to send Alloa into the lead again.
Lee Connolly, after driving through two Dundee defenders had an excellent opportunity to extend the lead, but instead of laying a square pass on the plate for Trouten the forward had his effort blocked in what should have been a corner. The officials though failed to see the deflection amidst the increasing fog. Minutes later though Alloa would again sting James McPake’s side as Hetherington driven shot was diverted off the studs of Alan Trouten to meg Currie and give the ‘Wasps’ a commanding lead.
Dundee inevitably reacted and systematically forced the increasingly defensive Wasps back. Paul McGowan managed to feint and spin to open a wonderful opportunity from 8 yards but for a rapid, reflex save by Reece Willison that wowed the watching TV cameras. Charlie Adam had the corner delivered straight into the net, only to see it being chopped off fairly for a push on Willison. But soon Alloa would concede. Adam’s ball into the box ricocheting off the post. Willison rooted to the spot couldn’t react as the sliding Cammy Kerr saw it unknowingly deflected into the back of the net. Unfortunate but Alloa still had the advantage and 12 minutes to hold off their challengers.
Again, Charlie Adam would be at the centre of the Dundee threat. His driven effort was blocked by Taggart but Adam was given a massive helping hand by the officials. Alan Muir pointed to the penalty spot despite Taggart’s arm being pinned to his chest and not deviating to meet the ball. Hardly an ‘unnatural silhouette’ as stipulated by the handball rule and hardly any time to react to Adam’s rasping shot otherwise. The former Liverpool midfielder rattled the penalty home despite Willison diving the right way, beating him with sheer power to the bottom corner.
And then it was Dundee’s turn to feel aggrieved by the officials. McDaid sustaining a mistimed challenge from Connelly was upended in the box. Despite the clear contact on the Dundee winger referee Alan Muir deemed the former Ayr man had dived. With such an exciting game of football, punctuated with some great play at either end both teams walked away with the overriding feeling of what could have been.
Alloa pick up their first hard-earned point of the season and look forward to a potential Betfred cup qualification against Stenhousemuir on Saturday.
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