BRAVE Alloa Athletic fell to two late goals at Parkhead as Celtic advanced to the Semi Finals of the Betfred Cup with a 2-0 win. 

Jack Ross’ men were always going to need a monumental effort just to compete, but the Wasps produced a heroic display to hold the Scottish Champions until the 83rd minute. 

As expected, the hosts went on the offensive from the off. James Forrest looked bright early on as he glided past Scott Taggart to set up a shooting chance for Tom Rogic, but Neil Parry gathered it well. 

It was a nervy start for the away side as they saw a few misplaced passes in the opening exchanges, but Jim Goodwin soon set the tone for the night with a crunching tackle to win the ball back on five minutes to give the travelling support their first roar of the night. 

The opening ten minutes was just relentless pressure from Celtic as they pinned Alloa into their own box. Moussa Dembele headed over under pressure from Andy Graham, then Ben Gordon had to be alert to cut out a dangerous cross soon after. 

It was always going to be a busy night for Wasps keeper Neil Parry, but two good saves in a row proved he was more than up for the challenge. Kieran Tierney weaved his way through to shoot from edge of the box, but Parry gathered well. Then great play by Mickael Lustig down right found Dembele six yards out, but again Parry was there to make a vital stop. 

Alloa finally tested opposition keeper Craig Gordon on 15 minutes. Jordan Kirkpatrick threaded the ball through to send Greig Spence racing in on goal and he stung the palms of Gordon from 25 yards. 

Celtic looked a threat every time they came forward, but Alloa did well to limit them to long range efforts. Rogic was wasteful on a number of occasions, but the Wee County men began to show some adventure and a spectacular turn away from Celtic skipper Scott Brown by Kirkpatrick again had the visiting fans on their feet. 

The home support then had their turn to rise to their feet when Tierney’s spectacular long range effort came crashing back out off the cross bar, but to the relief of Parry, the ball rebounded to safety. 

Some heroic defending from both Andy Graham and Ben Gordon saw the Wasps reach the half hour mark still goalless, but the Hoops should have forged ahead on 38 minutes. 

Great inter-play between Tierney, Rogic and Lustig set up a glorious chance for James Forrest eight yards from goal. 

The big controversial moment of the match came on 42 minutes. Spence latched onto a long through pass and beat the advancing Craig Gordon to the ball, only to be fouled by the Celtic keeper. The referee awarded the foul, but only penalised the former Scotland keeper with a yellow to the bemusement of most in attendance at the game. 

The free kick came to nothing, but the Wasps then earned another dangerous free kick on the right wing. Calum Waters whipped in a dangerous delivery, but Ben Gordon’s header was saved well by his namesake in the Celtic goal. 

As the half time whistle sounded, the only noise heard was the songs of the visiting support as the teams went in goalless at the break. 

Brendan Rodgers stated his intent at the interval as he brought on star forward Scott Sinclair for the ineffective Patrick Roberts and the former Swansea star was immediately involved in the action. 

He burst away from Taggart down the left to shoot from the edge of the area, but the strike went wide. 

Dembele then did well to get in behind the Wasps back line to race into the box, but once again the excellent Parry got out to thwart the danger. 

Celtic should have gone in front just before the hour mark when Forrest did well to pick out Sinclair in the box, but the forward blazed over when it looked easier to score. 

Alloa then produced a break out of their own when Cawley latched onto a loose pass in the Celtic defence to send Iain Flannigan in down the right, but as he looked to pick out Spence with the cutback, Kolo Toure got across to save the day. 

The potent combination of Tierney and Sinclair down the left sent the former racing towards the byline looking to cut the ball back for Dembele, but Gordon was there to make a crucial saving block. 

A brilliant run out of defence by Taggart momentarily relieved the pressure on the box as he burst past two and then drew the foul, but the hosts were soon right back on the front foot. Lustig and Brown combined to send Forrest racing in on goal, but once again Parry was out to smother the ball at his feet. 

The Wasps’ support were once again on their feet on 80 minutes as Kirkpatrick nutmegged Brown then played a delightful 1-2 with substitute Graeme Holmes, but Jozo Simunovic did well to cut out the attempted through pass. 

Alloa’s resolve was finally broken on 83 minutes when a spectacular solo run from Forrest saw him glide past two players to cut in off the right wing and slot the ball beyond a helpless Parry. 

Jack Ross sent on Jamie Longworth as the Wasps chased an equaliser in the closing stages, but as they pressed forward they were caught with a sucker punch at the other end that sealed the game for Celtic. 

Dembele spun away cleverly from Gordon, twisted past Graham and then smashed the ball into the roof of the net to seal their passage to their semi finals. 

The referee’s whistle shortly after confirmed the 2-0 result, but it was the Wasps who received a standing ovation from both sets of supporters as they left the pitch after a herculean effort. 

Jack Ross must now quickly lift his players as they prepare to get back to the bread and butter of the league with a trip to Stenhousemuir at the weekend. 

Advertiser sport man of the match: Neil Parry 

Alloa Athletic: Parry, Taggart, Waters, Graham, Gordon, Goodwin (Longworth 84), Flannigan, Robertson, Spence, Cawley (Holmes 77), Kirkpatrick. Subs not used: McDowall, Wilson, Hoggan, Marr, Scullion.