ALLOA Athletic got their Betfred Cup off to a winning start with a stylish 4-0 win over highland league side Cove Rangers at the Indodrill Stadium. 

Alloa started the game on the front foot and we're playing some nice football from the outset.

Five minutes into the match it was the hosts who had the first chance. Jim Goodwin spotted the run of Greig Spence in beyond the defence, but the Hitman's volleyed effort was just past the post. An early warning sign for the Highland league outfit. 

Moments later, some neat interplay between Iain Flannigan and Goodwin to find Jordan Kirkpatrick. He beat his man to create room for the shot, but his effort whizzed just past the mark. 

Jack Ross' men were beginning to find top gear and they were unlucky not to break the deadlock when Flannigan picked out Spence with ball over the top, but the keeper got out to smother the shot. 

Cove managed their first real venture forward on ten minutes. Scully's dangerous free kick caused momentary panic in the Wasps' box, but Jason Marr was there to scoop the ball to safety. 

Alloa were back on the attack soon after and Spence went close again on 15 minutes when he latched onto a loose ball on edge of box after good work by Jon Robertson, but again the shot was off target. 

The Wasps finally got the breakthrough with a well worked goal on 22 minutes. 

Great play by Marr and Goodwin to work the ball out to Taggart on the right and his diagonal cross into the box was converted by Spence into corner with clever glancing header. 

The lead should have been 2-0 on 29 minutes when the Wasps saw a glorious double chance go begging. 

Firstly, Calum Waters recycled a cleared corner to the back post for Spence, he headed back across goal for Graham, but his header was denied at point blank range. 

The ball was then immediately worked back out to Spence on the left wing and he picked out Marr with the cross loitering still in the box from the set play, but his effort was cleared off the line by Milne. 

Alloa ended the half well on top and were unlucky not to double the lead with a well worked move on 38 minutes. 

Flannigan's through pass was dummied by Spence to send Kirkpatrick onto last defender, he beat the man, but the shot was wide. 

Cove started quickly after the restart and could have been level on 49 minutes. The long throw into the box wasn't dealt with by the hosts, Daniel Park latched onto it to shoot from six yards, but Marr got back in to make a goal-saving block on the line. 

The visitors were made to pay for the miss as Alloa doubled the lead on 50 minutes. 

Flannigan's corner was headed home by a powerful Andy Graham header for 2-0. 

The Wasps were in cruise control mode at this stage and had a third goal ruled out by the linesman just after the hour when Spence latched onto hesitancy in the Cove defence. 

It was, however, only a temporary rest bite for the highlanders as they soon added the killer third goal on 64 minutes. 

Taggart picked out the run of Cawley with the diagonal ball, and his deadly touch and cutback was beyond the keeper to leave Kirkpatrick the simple tap in for 3-0. 

Isaac Layne replaced Cawley soon after the goal and he was immediately involved to setup a glorious chance for Spence to add a fourth goal. 

Robertson picked out the striker to launch a quick counter in behind the Cove defence. Layne then picked out Spence with a clever cross field pass, the striker's shot beat the keeper, but Eric Watson got the ball off the line for Cove. 

The home side were not done scoring there, however, and substitute Layne soon made it 4-0 as a reward for his hard work. 

Goodwin picked out Layne's run with a ball over the top of the Cove defence and the striker controlled well before slotting clinically past the keeper. 

Layne could added a second goal late on when he got in behind again, this time to latch onto Longworth's pass, he controlled well, but this time the keeper got out to smother as the game ended 4-0 to the Wasps. 

Alloa Athletic: Parry, Taggart, Waters, Graham, Marr, Goodwin, Cawley (Layne 65), Robertson (Holmes 72), Spence (Longworth 76), Kirkpatrick, Flannigan. 

Subs not used: McDowall, Wilson, Hoggan, Hetherington. 

Advertiser sport man of the match: Greig Spence