IT WAS a happy New Year for Falkirk, who left Saturday’s derby clash at the Indodrill Stadium with all three points despite a spirited Alloa performance.

The Wasps are improving week on week and looked bright in what was Jack Ross’ second game in charge, but they were unable to take anything to show for their efforts from Saturday’s late kick-off.

John Baird’s early goal was enough to make sure the visitors took the points back across the Clackmannanshire Bridge and climbed back into second place in the Championship table.

Alloa pressed straight from the kick-off and went in search of an early goal. They almost got it when Michael Duffy went close with a half volley which flew wide of Rogers’ post.

Duffy was looking threatening for the home side and he picked out Michael Doyle at the back post, but the full-back couldn’t keep his shot down.

But a quarter of an hour into the game, the visitors took the lead. Andy McNeil couldn’t hold Will Vaulks’ shot and Baird was the first man on the scene to slip the rebound into the corner and give his side the advantage.

It was a cruel blow for the Wasps and at that point came against the run of play, but Falkirk began to dominate the game and were starting to show their class.

McNeil redeemed himself with a tremendous save from Baird. The ball came in to the striker who controlled it and smashed a volley towards the top corner, but McNeil somehow clawed the ball over the bar.

Danny Rogers was called into action 9 minutes before the interval when Flannigan played in Crawford, the Falkirk keeper doing well to deny the Rangers loanee with a save low to his left.

Peter Watson was almost left red-faced after he sliced Kyle McAusland’s low cross over his own crossbar from a few yards out.

The hosts were beginning to look more and more threatening and Duffy was unlucky to see a lovely cross from Crawford sail just over his head as he ran in at the back post.

They were also solid at the back, new signing Scott McKenna and skipper Dougie Hill doing a sterling job of reducing Falkirk to speculative efforts from distance.

Eddie Ferns was introduced as the Wasps went in search of an equaliser and the forward’s pace caused a number of problems but he was unable to provide the goal Alloa desperately needed.

The visitors felt they should have had a penalty when a Leahy cross appeared to strike Doyle’s arm, but the referee said there was nothing doing and waved play on.

In the closing stages Alloa were throwing everything forward and they were almost caught out on the break, but Doyle got back to make a superb block when Kevin O’Hara’s shot looked destined for the corner of the net.

That proved to be the last action and although Alloa’s performance was much improved, they remain bottom of the Championship and without a home win all season.

Alloa Athletic: McNeil, Doyle, Hill, McKenna, Hamilton, O'Brien, McManus (Ferns 55), McAusland, Flannigan, R. Crawford, Duffy. Not used: D. Crawford, Reintam, Hetherington, Hoggan, Williams, Paun.