Alloa Advertiser | Sport | Kyle's strike keeps Wasps in play-off race

Monday, 12th May, 2008

Published: Wednesday, 26th March, 2008 12:00

Kyle's strike keeps Wasps in play-off race

By John Simpson

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Kyle MacAulay was on target for the Wasps in their 1-1 draw at Hampden.

Queen's Park 1 v 1 Alloa Athletic

HE was smiling at the end of this game at the National Stadium on Saturday, and rightly so.

Youngster Kyle MacAulay had done it again, hitting the target when his Alloa side needed it most, this time to help win a valuable point which keeps the team on course for the play-offs.

The Fochabers lad – a student in Glasgow – netted in Alloa’s 2-2 draw against his old side Peterhead on 26 Ferbuary then again on 15 March when the Wasps defeated the Blue Toon 2-0 at Recreation Park.

Kyle told the Advertiser minutes after the final whistle in the Press Lounge at Hampden, “I am so pleased to be getting a run in the team and also to score my third goal in three games.

Good delivery

“I want to continue working hard and I am glad to be scoring goals. The one today was from a good delivery to the box from Scott Agnew and a good return from Chris Townsley.

“We may not have deserved to win the game but I think the point means we can reach the play-offs, so finishing fourth must come first for us. I think we have done incredibly well with our seven match unbeaten run.”

In only two minutes Townsley could have put Alloa into the lead but h headed Scott Agnew’s corner from the right over the top.

Three minutes later a short pass-back to Zander Cowie presented MacAulay with a chance but the home keeper ma naged to scramble the ball clear in front of goal.

But Queen’s soon got moving with Ray Jellema having to rush from his line to save from Alan Trpouten then Steve Canning nipped past David McClune in the Alloa defence but John Grant anticipated the danger to come over toclear.

Agnew shot wide of the home right post from 25 yards before Adam Coakley’s 20 yard shot was blocked.

When Townsley clashed with Robert Dunn around the centre line the home man was in obvious pain and forced to leave the field in 16 minutes.

His substitute Stuart McGrady almost opened the scoring following a smart run on the left which he finished by driving off the outside of Alloa’s left post.

Alloa lost Steve McKeown in 22 minutes with a face injury, to be replaced by Brown Ferguson.

Alloa’s welcome opener came in 26 minutes from a pinpoint corner from Agnew. Townsley headed back in and MacAulay was on the spot to head into the net from six yards. Nice goal.

Canning broke clear on the home right but was stopped by Agnew. Alloa’s reply in 31 minues saw Grant back-head Agnew’s free-kick over the bar.

But Queen’s were still using the ball well with some crisp passing which looked good. Reilly raced dangerously on the right but McClune stopped him with a perfect tackle in 33 minutes.

Trouten scores

The Amateurs pulled level in 42 minutes, Paul Paton swinging in a perfect ball from the right which Trouten headed past Jellema at the right corner.

Alloa restared briskly with Agnew binging Cowie down to save after MacAulay and Scott combined well on the wing.. Grant then blasted over the home bar from 16 yards after MacAulay mis-hit his effort in the box.

Townsley got in on the act in 57 minutes but his header struck the bar with keeper Cowie stranded.

Reilly looked sharp with a strong run into the Alloa defence but Towney hauled him down earning himself a warning.

When the Wasps stepped up a gear Scott and McClune linked up to win a corner but, when Agnew drove over low from the right, nobody was in position to finish the move. Townley joined the race for a second goal but steered his header over.

Queen’s soon hit back but Paton’s strong 25 yard drive was too high to trouble Jellema. This was followed by a strong surge by the home side but, when Paul Ronald found space, in came Townsley with a very important tackle.

McClune did well with two clearances from Mark Ferry but, in 71 minutes Queen’s claimed a penalty after Cairney went down in the box in a challenge by Scott Buist.

Trouten powered one over the Alloa bar five minutes from the end but a better chance followed a minute later when Cairney was clean through, only to fail miserably with his finish.

QUEEN’S PARK. – Cowie, Paton, Ure (Ronald 61), Reilly, Sinclair, Trouten, Canning, Cairney, Dunn (O’Grardy 16), Neil, Ferry. Subs. not used: Ahostini, Quinn, Murray.

ALLOA. – Jellema, McClune, Buist, Hodge, Townsley, Grant, Scott, McKeown (Ferguson 22), Coaley (Andrew 61), Agnew, MacAulay (Clark 70). Subs. not used: O’Neill, Bruce.

Referee. –John Underhill.

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