Season: 2021-22
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Queen’s Park v Alloa Athletic

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.

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.
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Alloa Athletic v Cove Rangers

In an impressive start to Brian Rice’s Alloa career, the Wasps held the league leaders at home.

Alloa set up in a 3-4-1-2 with Scougall coming in from last week’s win at Dumbarton for Jon Robertson in the only change.

The home side started like a house on fire. After only 5 minutes Alloa had taken the lead through captain Andy Graham as he rolled a close range effort under McKenzie. Alloa continued to pick holes in the Cove defence and it was like the Wasps had the extra man.

After finding that expanse of space on the right Scougall ghosted past Reynolds to create an overload, squared to Sammon who slotted in the free Steven Boyd and the former Hamilton forward slotted a composed finish past McKenzie to double the lead.

Again Alloa would have their moments for a third only being thwarted by perhaps the wrong decision making in the final third. Former boss Paul Hartley now in charge of Cove Rangers quickly shuffled his formation though and Cove almost brought themselves back into the game. Masson rose highest to head a sublime Milne delivery on the outside of the post and later had another header smartly saved by Hutton at the back post in Cove’s only dangerous moments of the first half.

Although the Wasps started tentatively in the second half they were first to call either keeper into action with McKenzie making a desperate palm away before Steven Boyd’s cross reached Cawley.

The tables would soon be weighted against the Wasps when Robertson, who had just come on the park, raised a high foot. Despite swiping away the ball, he caught Vigurs high and the referee charged over to show the straight red card. A real blow for Alloa.

Cove would have the advantage of numbers but Alloa remained resolute. They were in fact unlucky not to have reduced Cove down to 10 themselves as Morgyn Neill chopped down Sammon from behind while the striker’s footwork sent him through on goal. A clear denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity but a yellow was deemed fit by the referee.

Alloa would hold out to 81 minutes when Milne whipped in another special cross. Ola Adeyemo headed home from 7 yards and the pressure was on to hold the lead.]

But goal machine Rory McAllister was also on the park and after 85 minutes was freed by Kai Fotheringham to dink high over Hutton and break Alloa hearts.

A strong performance considering the calibre of the league leaders but their 17 game unbeaten run deserved to come to an end against the Wasps.
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