Alloa Athletic..........1
Queen's Park..........1

SPFL League One

The Wasps battled back from a goal down to salvage a point in a hard-fought contest against Queen’s Park at the Indodrill Stadium.

Ross Millen edged the Spiders in front in the second half with a low drive, but Greig Spence levelled proceedings with his 16th goal of the season.

The first chance of the match fell to the away side in the 10th minute and it was Jamie McKernon who received a cutback from Ross Millen before slicing over the bar from the edge of the area.

Neil Parry then had to be alert minutes later, as Sean Burns floated a free-kick over the wall that dropped just beyond the goalkeeper’s left-hand post.

But Alloa fought back and were a matter of inches from opening the scoring in the 21st minute. Calum Waters charged down the left and delivered a deep cross, which Jamie Longworth met first time. The midfielder’s header crashed off the bar before being scrambled away.

The Wasps grew in confidence and began to find their footing on the half hour mark. Player-manager Jim Goodwin sprayed a ball out to the overlapping Scott Taggart, who spotted the late run of Longworth but the former Queen’s Park player could only scoop his effort over the bar.

The 39th minute saw Kevin Cawley break on the counter-attack, skipping past two players before squaring for Greig Spence. But the prolific striker lost his footing and couldn’t take advantage.

The final flurry of first half chances came the way of Queen’s Park. Anton Brady fed an angled ball through for Dario Zanatta. The on-loan Hearts youngster’s strike was deflected behind.

The resulting corner was then whipped in on top of the goalkeeper but Parry reacted well to tip the ball over the bar.

Queen’s Park emerged after the break with the bit between their teeth, putting pressure on the Alloa penalty area.

They had their just rewards on the hour mark when fullback Millen drifted behind the Alloa defence to drive a low finish into the bottom left corner, securing his 6th goal of the season.

The Wasps responded well and almost equalised within minutes. Waters delivered another accurate ball into the area but Jordan Kirkpatrick couldn’t make clean contact and the ball was gathered by William Muir.

It was end to end stuff and in the 67th minute Zanatta showed his quality to create an opening. Weaving in from the right, the striker curled an effort at goal but Parry was equal to it.

Jon Robertson should have scored just a minute later. A stramash in Queen’s Park’s penalty area saw the ball drop kindly for the midfielder but he could only direct his strike into Muir’s arms with the goal gaping.

The Wasps had the goal they sought in the 69th minute and it was Spence who was on hand to sweep the ball home from close range after an exquisite cross from Cawley.

With time running out, Alloa enjoyed their best period of the game. Cawley made it to the byline again and found Kirkpatrick in the area. The midfielder’s shot looked destined for the bottom corner but was blocked by a trailing leg.

The Spiders thought they had scored the winner in the 83rd minute. Substitute Aiden Malone was on hand to nod home a Paul Woods cross but was adjudged to have been in an offside position by the linesman.

Alloa would then have the final chance of the game when Goodwin swung a ball in from the left but Muir was equal to Andrew Graham’s header, ensuring Queen’s Park went home with a well-deserved point.

Despite the disappointment of another draw, the gaffer was heartened by the performance.

Goodwin told Advertiser Sport: “We’re a little bit frustrated but again it was a great reaction from the lads. We go a goal down again and we’ve managed to come back.

“It was a decent game, a little bit open and stretched at times but on the whole I thought we created enough chances.

“We just couldn’t get that second one after getting it back to 1-1.”

Alloa Athletic: Parry, Taggart, Waters, Marr, Graham, Goodwin, Cawley, Robertson, Spence, Longworth (Layne), Kirkpatrick. Subs not used: Hetherington, Martin, Hynd, Hoggan, Wilson, McDowall.