Two sides in poor form faced off at the Indodrill today. Managerless Queen’s Park were lead out by the suave trainers and long coated, Director of Football Marijn Beuker, for the first time.

Both sides were tentative in their approach until just before 40 minutes the on-loan Hearts midfielder Connor Smith produced a top class finish to curl the ball effortlessly into the top corner past a planted David Hutton. You won’t see many better placements from outside the corner of the 18 yard box.

Connor Smith opens the scoring for @queensparkfc against @AlloaAthleticFC today in @cinchuk League 1 match. pic.twitter.com/aMXlBmzkkF

— David Glencross (@dgxwasp) January 15, 2022

The second half started more positively for Alloa and they progressively pushed Queen’s Park into a deep block by constant recycling of the ball. The pressure Alloa were producing paid off when Church sent a enticing cross onto the head of Henderson and Ferrie could only flap the ball at Kevin Cawley’s feet. The Alloa legend made no mistake and equalised.

@kevin_cawley scores @AlloaAthleticFC equaliser against @queensparkfc in today`s @cinchuk League 1 match. pic.twitter.com/Kr9MJpHUS8

— David Glencross (@dgxwasp) January 15, 2022

Queen’s Park could have restored their lead if Connor Smith converted a much simpler finish. He met a low cross in the box but could only direct his first time shot a yard wide.

Alloa too could have taken all three points on the 84th minute, when King spurned two what, looked like easy, close range finishes by placing them directly at Ferrie and Gillespie respectively.

A point was not massively favourable for either side in the end as their poor runs continue.

Pictures from yesterday`s @AlloaAthleticFC @queensparkfc @cinchuk League 1 match now up on flickr.https://t.co/AZTL3WMl0F pic.twitter.com/H7qYeAaFte

— David Glencross (@dgxwasp) January 16, 2022

Barry Ferguson, Alloa Manager:

“I was really happy in terms of the level of effort. I thought there was real quality in some of our play, sometimes we were a bit wasteful when we got into the final third but up until they scored I thought it was an even game. That hurt us a little bit but I thought we came out in the second half and once we got a goal I thought we could have went on and got the three points so disappointed in that. I thought, in terms of their effort in the second half, we deserved the three points. We created a number of opportunities where just that final ball wasn’t good but in terms of desire and application from the boys I cant ask for any more. Disappointed not to come away with the three points in the end because I thought we deserved it.”

“I’m trying to bring players in, we’ve lost out on three players [last week] which has been disappointing but they’ve went to Championship clubs. I’ll be speaking to players over the next few days to try and get bodies in. There’s also a couple who will be leaving to go and get game time. Gilmour’s a massive loss, huge loss but that’s the gamble you take when you take players on loan and they come and do well for. Charlie, for me, has been outstanding in the 11 games he’s played. He’s going to go back and he’s going to play with St Johnstone, that’s why they’re taking him back so we’re devastated but it’s good for us that he’s going to go back and play. If he doesn’t play we’ve got an agreement with St Johnstone that we can get him back. Henderson’s going to go back, that was his last game. They’re just trying to get a couple of players in but he’ll be coming back to us, hopefully he’ll be coming back this week but that depends on Hearts signing players so that’s why I’m going to be busy trying to get players in but I’m not going to bring players in for the sake of it, it needs to be the right players.”

Alloa stuttered against lowly opposition again, despite doing everything but scoring.

We were looking to arrest a run of just a single win in 5 while Clyde were looking to add to what has been fairly good recent form.

The Wasps were the early creators with Boyd firing wildly wide after gathering a deep free kick. Henderson was almost worked in for the opener but could only rebound his shot off Page in the heart of the Clyde box.

David Goodwillie reaffirmed his credentials as the Clyde dangerman with a winding run but as he worked the opening in the 18 yard box he could only muster a tame effort into David Hutton.

Alloa would have a couple stramashes in the box with set pieces looking like they might break the deadlock but nothing would fall cleanly. Durnan, late into the half, passed up a glancing header from a corner, which was as close as either team came to opening the scoring in a fairly quiet forty-five, albeit one where Alloa looked to start turning the screw on Clyde.

In the second half, Jones, Mortimer and Goodwillie made a rare breakthrough but again the Clyde forward could only roll home straight at the Alloa goalkeeper. Barring the early scare, Alloa did indeed pick up where they left off and were soon battering the Clyde goal.

Parry made a point blank save from Steven Boyd after Robertson’s cross met him outside the 6 yard box. The winger only managed to hit the former Wasp in the chest which was enough to divert the ball wide for a corner. From the resulting set piece Boyd almost whipped the ball straight in but for the intervention of another former Alloa hero Mark ‘Sparky’ Docherty heading away. A neat bit of interplay between ‘Sena’, Boyd and Henderson almost worked the opening for a shot from the on-loan Hearts forward but his touch just nudged too close to his Clyde markers who made the intervention.

Mouhamed ‘Sena’ Niang then exchanged a fantastic one-two-pass with Boyd to free himself in the box but whether the midfielder screwed his shot wide or went for a cutback to the onrushing Henderson the golden opportunity was wasted. Clyde promptly counter attacked and while Alloa seemed to have gathered their numbers, a ridiculous driven effort by Ally Love found the bottom corner from 25 yards. Hutton was at full stretch but the ball nestled squarely in the side-netting. Despite the deficit of possession and opportunities Clyde had the lead.

It would hold for the remainder of the game. Scougall would be the only man to beat the Clyde stopper although he failed to defeat the post and Alloa would test Parry through Gilmour and later Cawley but in all honesty struggled to work a golden opportunity. Seemingly cursed to never connect with the frequent flashed balls across the Bully Wee box, Clyde draw level with the Wasps on points with only goal difference favouring the Wee County’s finest to hold 6th position.

Alloa faced a stubborn test against Montrose at the Indodrill. Kevin Cawley was the only change from the side who held Falkirk to a 1-1 draw last week. Craig Howie dropped to the bench in his place.

Neither side lit the heather in the first half but one of the biggest shouts was after Terry Masson, who had been carded early in the first half, lunged to wipe out Euan Henderson. Henderson somehow got the talking to and Masson somehow stayed on the park.

It didn’t take long for the second to erupt with Alloa carving out a sustained period of pressure culminating in Mark ‘Vinnie’ Durnan battling through his opponent’s grapple and drilling a header past Lennox in the Montrose goal from a superbly delivered corner by Steven Boyd.

Alloa were flying and could have added to their tally as Niang and Boyd both tested the goalkeeper, and again, Steven Boyd really should have gambled on an effort as he dallied on a promising 1v1. Durnan almost doubled his goal tally in the 57th minute as another corner lined up for the captain.
Durnan did deliver the brace with a rerun of the opener, glancing into the bottom corner this time. Boyd, again the provider of the in-swinging corner.

Henderson broke away from an Alloa clearance and almost put the game to bed. However the in-form striker wasn’t pinpoint enough to pick out the top corner and sent his shot a yard over.

Alloa seemed to be cruising but a 77th minute corner was rerouted to Watson who struck on the edge of the box. It seemed to take a wicked deflection off Craig Johnston into the opposite corner anticipated from the stranded David Hutton.

It was a finish that Alloa will curse themselves for as ‘Sena’ Niang conceded possession cheaply, giving away a corner. The delivery was met with a failed clearance, and dropped for Matty Allan. He toe-poked but with Kevin Cawley throwing his body at the ball, he could only inadvertently divert the effort away from Hutton and into the top corner.

No shame in drawing with this strong Montrose side, but a sickening result in the circumstances with Alloa seemingly comfortable for long periods.

Alloa bagged another reputable victory over promotion hopefuls Airdrie in a professional performance at the Indodrill.

It was a strange teamsheet with the absence of the incredibly versatile Robertson with Mouhamed ‘Sena’ Niang taking over his jack of all trades title by starting at his left back berth. Henderson came in for Sammon and Hutton returned for Wright from the pleasing win at Firhill over Queen’s Park.

The game took time to come alive with Airdrie shading the early period but Euan Henderson lit up the match after a driving solo run and firm finish broke the deadlock after 33 minutes.

What followed was a ding-dong battle between a probing Airdrie and a counter-attacking Alloa. Craig Watson almost equalising but for an inspired David Hutton while Alloa sliced open the Airdrie back line at the other end and were only denied by the woodwork after Taggart’s missile cross was redirected goal-wards by Kevin Cawley.

Alloa would snap in a second after Boyd headed onto Henderson. The on-loan Hearts striker seemed to waltz into the box, wait and wait but then placed it beyond the Airdrie keeper to double the advantage and add to his impressive League 1 goal haul.

Alloa continued to pass up some cutting attacks but eventually an Alan Trouten misplaced pass on the edge of his own box saw Fordyce smash a deflected effort into the bottom corner. A nervy 5 minutes ensued but Alloa proved no pushovers as Airdrie failed to find the vital goal. Just 4 points from the League leaders now, Alloa are climbing.