THE WASPS produced a convincing performance to see off local rivals Stenhousemuir and maintain their title challenge at the top of the League One table.

Greig Spence got the hosts off to the perfect start with the opener after just eight minutes. Andy Graham added a second before Jamie Longworth’s third, with Alistair Roy pulling one back for the visitors less than a minute later. Kevin Cawley restored his side’s three-goal lead just after the hour mark with a fine strike.

Athletic dominated from the start and player-manager Jim Goodwin forced a good save from David Crawford, returning to the Indodrill Stadium for the first time since departing in the summer.

But the Alloa faithful would not have to wait long for the deadlock to be broken. Crawford made a mess of a clearance and the ball landed at the feet of top scorer Greig Spence, who made the keeper pay with a crisp finish from the edge of the box.

Stenhousemuir didn’t let their heads drop and were almost back on level terms five minutes later. After a scramble in the Alloa box, which prompted hopeful claims for a penalty from the visitors, Colin McMenamin stabbed an effort towards goal which had Neil Parry beaten but Jason Marr hacked the ball off the line to preserve his side’s advantage.

The visitors were dealt another blow moments later when Alan Cook was forced off injured after a collision with Parry.

Before the half-hour mark, Alloa had doubled their advantage. Calum Waters whipped in a corner, Goodwin flicked the ball on and Andy Graham rose highest to power a header beyond Crawford.

The Wasps were producing some irresistible attacking football and sweeping forward at every opportunity, the quartet of Spence, Longworth, Cawley and Jordan Kirkpatrick causing the Warriors’ defence all sorts of problems.

Ten minutes before the interval, the hosts had their third. Spence was unlucky to see his terrific effort crash back off the crossbar but his strike partner, Longworth, was on hand to head the rebound home for his first goal in Alloa colours.

That gave the impression that Alloa were going to run away with the game but barely a minute later, the visitors had given themselves a glimmer of hope as they pulled one back. From the kick off the ball came to Roy, who evaded two challenges and fired a lovely shot past the helpless Parry and into the bottom corner.

However, Alloa continued to dominate and forced corner after corner and almost added a fourth through Kirkpatrick, who dragged his shot just wide.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors in injury time at the end of the half as Crawford was forced off with an injury after landing badly, with Colin McCabe taking his place between the posts.

That was the last action of the first half as the Wasps returned to the dressing room with a healthy advantage.

The visitors started the second half brightly and Parry was called into action when a neat set-piece move saw a chance fall the way of Jamie McCormack, on for the injured Cook. The sub looked certain to score but the former Airdrie keeper reacted superbly to smother his effort.

From that point, the Wasps re-took the initiative, with Waters curling a free kick narrowly over the bar as they looked to stretch their advantage further.

Alloa’s fourth arrived eventually just after the hour mark. Cawley drove at Ross Meechan and beat the right back for pace before slamming an unstoppable drive past McCabe and into the top corner.

A fifth almost followed moments later. Kirkpatrick showed great skill to get clear down the right and fizzed a low ball across goal but Spence just failed to make contact as he slid in.

Longworth nearly added his second of the afternoon with a powerful effort from distance which was blocked, before Kirkpatrick and Cawley made a mess of a golden opportunity, each leaving the ball for the other when they had the goal at their mercy following Waters’ cutback.

Youngster Adam Martin went close to grabbing what would have been his first senior goal, drawing a decent save from McCabe in the closing stages, before Luke Donnelly’s free kick sailed inches over the bar after taking a nick off the Stenhousemuir wall.

The hosts had to settle for four, securing their first win in three games and keeping the pressure on Livingston and Brechin at the top of the League One table.

Alloa Athletic: Parry, Taggart, Waters, Graham, Marr, Goodwin (Holmes), Cawley, Robertson, Spence (Donnelly), Kirkpatrick (Martin), Longworth.