ALLOA ATHLETIC romped to an impressive 4-0 win at home to Peterhead to send them straight to the top of the SPFL League One table. 

A Jordan Kirkpatrick double along with strikes from Kevin Cawley and substitute Isaac Layne put the Wee County on easy straight as they laid down an early marker to the rest of the league.

The Wasps started like a house on fire and raced into two-goal lead inside the opening 15 minutes. Peterhead had started brightly enough looking to get onto the front foot, but it was their hosts who opened the scoring on eight minutes.

Skipper Graeme Holmes picked out the run of Greig Spence inside the box, the striker did well to hold off a defender before guiding the ball back into the path of Jordan Kirkpatrick, who caressed the ball beautifully into the far corner beyond the keeper. 

Jack Ross’ side should have made it 2-0 only seconds later when Iain Flannigan’s through pass sent Spence in on the keeper, but this time the keeper did enough to stop the ball and allow Scott Rumsby to hack clear off the line. 

It was only a short respite for the Blue Toon as the home side made it 2-0 on 13 minutes in spectacular fashion. 

Holmes again found Spence with a brilliant long diagonal as the striker cleverly peeled out to the left flank. The cross was inch perfect to the back post into the path of the on-rushing Kevin Cawley who finished with aplomb with a stunning volley beyond the keeper. 

Peterhead to their credit tried to respond and had the perfect chance to threaten the Alloa goal when Andy Graham took out Rory McAllister on the right wing with a late challenge. Ex-Wasps star Jamie Stevenson whipped in the cross toward McAllister, but Parry did well to get out and punch clear. 

Alloa continued to press forward and the combination of Cawley, Kirkpatrick and Flannigan were causing all sorts of problems for the visitors in waves of attack. 

Even as Peterhead had a good spell of possession, the Wasps always looked threatening on the counter attack. Just when the visitors looked to get a foothold in the game, it was in fact the hosts who struck next to extend their advantage. 

The impressive Kirkpatrick wriggled free just outside the box to create room for the shot, before lashing a ferocious strike into the top corner to make it 3-0. 

Peterhead should have reduced the deficit straight away right on the stroke of the interval. Talisman McAllister powered his way into box from the right wing to create space for close range shot. Parry did well to block powerful effort with a strong hand, the rebound fell for Kevin Dzierawski, but once again Parry was there to tip wide of the mark from the point blank shot. 

It was more of the same after the interval. Peterhead started brightly and some early pressure resulted in a long-range strike by Ryan Strachan, but again Parry was equal to the effort. 

Spence had the ball in the back pf the net after latching onto Robertson’s through ball on 51 minutes, but this time the Linesman’s offside flag came to the visitor’s rescue. 

Taggart led the home side forward again on 57 minutes with a decent raid down the right to cross. Robertson flicked the ball on looking for Spence, but Rumsby was alert to get in front and clear the danger. 

It was now relentless Alloa pressure as they went off in search of more goals to add gloss to a terrific performance. 

The fourth goal almost arrived on 66 minutes when Graham got on the end of Flannigan’s free kick, but the header was just wide of the mark. 

The home support did not have long to wait for their side to put the game beyond doubt as the fourth goal finally did arrive on 69 minutes. 

Jack Ross took off double goal hero Jordan Kirkpatrick and brought on Isaac Layne and the powerful hitman took only sixty seconds to get his name on the scoresheet. 

A long ball out of defence was brilliantly controlled by Layne, who spun his marker with his back to goal then turned to clinically finish into the far corner for 4-0. 

Another substitute Steven Hetherington almost had a similar impact after replacing Spence, when his whipped cross from left wing was only inches out of reach for Jason Marr at the backpost. 

Hetherington then tried his luck from range moments later and his ferocious left-footed drive was fumbled round the post by the keeper as he struggled on the rain-lashed surface. 

The Blue Toon should have got a consolation goal on 82 minutes as the corner from Stevenson fell kindly for Rumsby in the box, but Parry was there again to block the shot.

The Wasps were not to be denied and saw the game out to start the game with an impressive display to get their League One campaign off to a flyer at the top of the table. 

Advertiser sport man of the match: Kevin Cawley