ALLOA Athletic battled back from a goal down to earn a battling 1-1 draw with St Mirren in Paisley.
It was a return to remember for Danny Lennon, but they had to do it the hard way when a mix up in the defence gifted the struggling home side the opener.
Alloa made three changes to the side that lost to Livingston the previous match. Andrew McNeil returned in goal in place of David Crawford. Jason Marr returned from suspension to replace Dougie Hill and Graeme Holmes returned to the side as Michael Chopra dropped to the bench.
The Wasps started brightly and carved out the first chance of the match when Colin Hamilton did well to get past two players down the left to find Graeme Holmes, but his cross was just too high for Iain Flannigan at the back post.
St Mirren slowly began to seize the initiative, but it took them until 16 minutes to create their first opening. Stuart Carswell played a neat 1-2 with Calum Gallagher to advance into the box, but Marr got across to intercept the danger.
Alloa began to probe forward and enjoyed a good spell of possession that resulted in Holmes, Hamilton and McManus all having efforts blocked.
The hosts then burst out on the counter and ex-Wasp Gallagher almost came back to haunt his former side when he cut in from the left to shoot, but McNeil was equal to the shot.
Alloa responded well when Marr's brilliant long diagonal pass picked out Robbie Crawford on the left, he played a neat give and go with Holmes and then fired an attempt at goal, but Andy Webster got across to make a crucial block for the Saints.
Ian Murray's men saved their best chance of the half for the final moment as Mallan's corner found Shankland at the near post, but his glancing header was clawed out brilliantly by McNeil.
The home side started the better after the restart and should have gone in front on 49 minutes when Shankland sent Mallan racing in on the keeper, but again McNeil was equal to the shot with a point blank save.
Alloa then enjoyed another good passage of play that saw them earn consecutive set plays. A Flannigan corner was the best of them as he picked out Kyle McAusland at the back post, but his volleyed effort was over the top.
The game turned on a horrendous error as Estonian defender Mikk Reintam misjudged the flight of the ball then hesitated as he thought the keeper was coming for it, but instead it allowed Shankland to round the advancing McNeil to slot home the opener.
The Paisley side's lead lasted just 6 minutes as the visitors responded brilliantly to hit straight back. Substitute Eddie Ferns did well to earn his side a free kick 35-yards from goal on the left. Burton O'Brien flighted in a superb curling cross and it fell to an unmarked Marr who smashed the ball home from close range to level the game at 1-1.
It was no more than the Wasps deserved and in the closing stages it was them who looked the more likely to add another, but the game ended in stalemate to give them another crucial point.
It was enough to climb off the foot of the table as they once again leap frog Livingston into 9th place in the SPFL Championship ahead of a week's break from action.

Advertiser sport man of the match: Jason Marr