There was no party in the capital for Alloa Athletic as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of title-chasing Hibernian at Easter Road.

Danny Lennon welcomed Iain Flannigan back into the match day squad after injury along with Michael Duffy who returned from International duty with Northern Ireland, but both started the match on the bench.

There was one change to the starting eleven as well as Mark Williams dropped to the bench and Steven Hetherington came in to shore up the midfield.

Alloa came out the blocks quickest and they almost silenced the home crowd with an opener inside the opening minute.

Michael Chopra held the ball up well and laid back to Connor McManus. He sent Robbie Crawford racing down the right wing with a defence-splitting pass. The cut back picked out Graeme Holmes on the edge of the area, but his shot was just over the crossbar.

It was a let off for the hosts that seemed to spring them into action and they soon earned the first corner kick of the match after some sustained pressure.

Liam Henderson’s cross picked out David Gray free at the back post, but he somehow headed over from five yards out when it looked easier to score.

Hibs continued to press and John McGinn almost cut open the Wasps defence when he looked to slip the ball through to James Keatings in the box, but Dougie Hill was there to make a crucial block then Gray could only fire wide from the rebound.

Henderson then picked out the run of Keatings in behind Alloa, his volley was well saved by David Crawford, but the linesman’s flag was up anyway.

It was up the Wasps skipper to relieve the mounting pressure on his defence and a rampaging run from his own half saw him combine with Hetherington to burst down the left and earn his side a corner of their own. The corner was met by the head of Kyle McAusland, but the effort was off target.

The Easter Road faithful were roaring for a penalty on 16 minutes when Keatings and Colin Hamilton collided in the box, but the referee waved away the claims.

Henderson was becoming a real handful for the visitors and he almost carved them open with a great run down the left, but his cut back for Keatings was cut out by Holmes with a superb last ditch tackle.

Alloa regained their composure and looked to have take the sting out of the Hibs attack with a solid defensive display, but it was one of their own players who almost became their undoing.

McAusland’s short back pass sent Keatings racing in on goal, but Jason Marr was alert to get back and snuff out the danger.

Hibs seemed encouraged by this chance and had their best chance of the match on 34 minutes. Gray’s cross was met by the diving header from Keatings, but the effort bounced up and over the bar.

There was a controversial flash point on 40 minutes when a coming together between Chopra and Gray resulted in the two squaring up to each other with the Hibs bench being incensed by the Alloa hit man’s tackle, but the referee booked both players for the incident to the dismay of Alan Stubbs.

Alloa earned a free kick 25 yards from goal after a good move between McManus, Chopra and Holmes saw the latter being hauled down by Marvin Bartley. Hetherington took the kick, but the effort was straight at the wall and the chance was gone.

Hibs hit Alloa quickly on the counter attack following the break of the free kick after Hetherington was dispossessed. A long ball forward from McGinn sent Jason Cummings racing through on the keeper, despite the massive shouts for offside from the Wasps defence. The striker’s effort was well saved by Crawford, but Henderson was there to smash home the rebound to finally break the brave resistance from the visitors under controversial circumstances and right on the stroke of half time.

Things went from bad to worse after the restart for Alloa when only five minutes in, the hosts doubled their advantage. Henderson was fouled in a dangerous area to earn his side a free kick. Keatings free kick came back to him off the wall, but he quickly picked out Gray inside the box and he in turn teed the ball up Cummings to squeeze the ball under Crawford at his near post for 2-0.

It was a bitter blow for Lennon’s side that gave the Leith men free license to attack at will thereafter.

Hibs should’ve ended the contest just before the hour mark when Stevenson got past his marker in the box to shoot, but Crawford was equal to the shot.

Alan Stubbs side didn’t have long to wait for the killer third goal though as it arrived on 66 minutes. Henderson’s quickly taken corner find McGinn free and in space inside the box and with the Alloa defence caught sleeping he had time to turn and smash the ball past Crawford to put the game beyond doubt.

Alloa tried to respond as best they could and the manager made all three of his substitutes within the space of ten minutes with the introduction of Flannigan, Duffy and Eddie Ferns, but still the home side came forward.

Hibs could have made it 4-0 with ten minutes remaining when McGinn’s corner fell for Bartley in the box, but Crawford was there to tip over the bar.

A sustained spell of pressure from the visitors eventually saw them win a corner. Flannigan’s cross picked out Hill at the backpost, but the keeper was there to grab his attempted header across goal.

It was then the turn of the Hibees’ subs to threaten when Dominique Malonga looked to run at the defence, but Hill did enough to put the big striker off.

Former Celtic youngster Islam Feruz then tried to add to the scoring, but his run and shot was halted on the line by the impressive Hill.

Alloa did end the game on the front foot when McManus and Duffy combined well to pick out Hamilton on the left, but his cross was just out of reach for Flannigan at the back post as the game ended in a 3-0 defeat.

The Wasps will look to learn from the experience of a difficult afternoon in the capital as they prepare for the local derby next up against rivals Falkirk at the Indodrill Stadium.

Advertiser sport man of the match: Dougie Hill