A LATE Dale Hilson header denied Alloa Athletic back to back wins for the first time this season as they drew 2-2 with Queen of the South.

The hosts came into this one looking to build on their first home win against Hibs the previous week and came within minutes of adding another. 

Jack Ross made one enforced change to his starting line-up as David Crawford came in for the injured Scott Gallacher. 

The game took a while to get going and the only real action in the opening 20 minutes came from consecutive corners by the visitors. 

Mark Millar’s first delivery had to be tipped over the bar by an alert Crawford in the Wasps goal and then from the follow up kick Holmes had to clear off the line. 

It was no surprise that when the game sprang to life, it was the talented Michael Duffy who provided the spark. He combined well with Crawford and struck a half volley on goal that flashed just wide of the mark. 

Five minutes later, Duffy turned provider as he combined with Iain Flannigan and Robbie Crawford before picking out Kyle McAusland at the back post, but the defender opted to let the ball drop instead of the first time shot and that allowed the Queen’s defence time to clear the danger. 

Mitch Megginson was also looking lively and his energetic run into the box on 37 minutes led to the first goal of the afternoon when he was upended by former Rangers midfielder Kyle Hutton. Flannigan stepped up to take the penalty kick and made no mistake as he sent the keeper the wrong way to fire his side into the lead.

The Wasps should have doubled their advantage five minutes before the break, when Duffy again did well to wriggle his way past two players into the box and lay off for Crawford, but on-loan Rangers star blazed his shot over the bar from 12 yards and that’s how it stayed at the interval. 

James Fowler obviously had a few choice words for his players at half time as they emerged with the bit between their teeth after the restart. 

They enjoyed a 20 minute spell of solid pressure on the Alloa goal and should have been level on 54 minutes. Lewis Kidd did well to get down the left and cross for Derek Lyle waiting to pounce at the back post, but Colin Hamilton got a vital touch on the ball to deflect it away for a corner. 

Queen’s wouldn’t have long to wait for their goal, however, as parity was restored on 66 minutes. 

Alloa substitute Connor McManus was on the pitch for less than six minutes when he collided with Iain Russell inside his own box giving the referee no option, but to point for another penalty. 

The experienced Lyle stepped up and smashed it home to make it 1-1. 

To their credit, Alloa seemed to rally well after the equaliser and once again went on the ascendancy in the game. Duffy did well to spin his marker and unleash a stinging drive from 25 yards, which brought the best out of Robbie Thomson who did well to tip over for a corner. 

From the resultant kick, no one matched the run of Wasps’ skipper Dougie Hill and he saw his bullet header come crashing back out off the crossbar with the keeper beaten. 

But Alloa would not be denied and soon regained the lead four minutes later with the best move of the entire game. 

The impressive Duffy held the ball up well before picking out substitute Steven Hetherington on the wide left. He did well to pick out the run of McManus late into the box and he smashed the ball home for a deserved 2-1 lead. 

The visitors rallied themselves and might have levelled the match on 79 minutes when the persistence of Russell in the box, saw the ball drop kindly for team mate Chris Higgins six yards from goal, but somehow the defender dragged his shot well wide of the target. 

Alloa then had a double chance to kill off the game. McAusland looked to pick out the run of Duffy at the back post with a brilliant diagonal into the box beyond the keeper, but Andy Dowie got there first to deflect the ball away to safety. From the resultant corner, Hill once again saw his header come back off the woodwork. 

Moments later, Queen of the South snatched a late point from a corner kick. Millar produced yet another superb delivery and he picked out the unmarked Hilson at the backpost who simply guided the ball into the back of the net beyond Crawford. 

The visitors pushed for a late winner as Russell and Millar both saw speculative efforts well saved by Crawford, but it was Alloa who had the final clear cut chance of the afternoon. 

Duffy did well to beat his man and spread the play wide for Hetherington, but this time the former Motherwell man’s cross flashed across goal with no takers meaning the game ended in stalemate. 

The Wasps now head to Ibrox next week where they will be looking to spoil Rangers’ title party with what would be the most unlikely of victories. 

Advertiser sport man of the match: Michael Duffy

Alloa: D.Crawford, McAusland, Hamilton, Hill, Marr, Holmes, Caddis (Hetherington 70), Flannigan, R.Crawford (McManus 60), Megginson, Duffy. Subs not used: A.Wilson, Layne, Finnie, Hynd, L.Wilson.