Alloa Athletic…2

Queen’s Park…2

ALLOA were denied victory by a late show from Queen’s Park at the Indodrill Stadium on Saturday as their title hopes took a blow.

The Wasps went ahead twice through Iain Flannigan and Scott Taggart, but first David Galt and then Ewan MacPherson, in the final minute of stoppage time, pegged the home side back.

It was a bitterly disappointing end to the afternoon for the Wasps, although they maintained their unbeaten streak.

Alloa had not lost in eight ahead of the game, and were looking to build on last Tuesday’s late showing at Brechin, where Andy Graham’s late goal had snatched victory in time added on.

There was a nervy moment for the Wasps just a couple of minutes into the game. A cross was swung in to the back post and Taggart, under pressure from David Galt, miscontrolled the ball, but goalkeeper Neil Parry rescued the situation.

Queen’s Park captain Ryan McGeever then went close with a decent strike from just outside the box, his left-foot shot flying just past the upright.

But it was the Wasps who took the lead with 18 minutes on the clock. Calum Waters was desperately unlucky to see his tremendous free kick come back off the bar, but Flannigan was following up and lashed the ball beyond the stranded Wullie Muir from the edge of the box.

The visitors almost levelled the scores immediately when Dario Zanatta robbed Graham in possession and made inroads towards Parry’s goal. The Hearts loanee looked certain to score but Frank McKeown got across to make a terrific covering tackle and keep his side’s lead intact.

And Alloa could have made it two when Flannigan won the ball wide on the right and played in Dylan Mackin, who crossed for Spence. His shot was blocked by Ross Millen before Kevin Cawley’s follow-up was hacked clear.

Straight away the Spiders made Alloa pay for their profligacy as they levelled the scores. Parry made an excellent save to deny Zanatta, but he could do nothing to stop David Galt, who was first to the loose ball and smashed it into the unguarded net.

Alloa should have had a penalty moments into the second half when Jordan Kirkpatrick’s shot cannoned off the arm of Dominic Docherty, but referee Mike Roncone was unmoved, to the chagrin of the Wasps’ bench.

The Wasps were gaining momentum early in the second period, and Muir had to be on his toes to deny Cawley after the Alloa man had jinked his way through the heart of the Queen’s Park defence.

But their pressure paid off eventually with the second goal arriving 10 minutes into the half. After Greig Spence was forced wide, he knocked the ball back to Kirkpatrick, and his cross found the onrushing Taggart who leapt high to head home at the back post.

The Wasps almost extended their advantage just after the hour mark. Mackin rose above everyone to get his head to a high ball, and his effort had Muir beaten, but the ball crashed back off the post.

Alloa sensed that Queen’s Park were on the ropes and went in search of a decisive third. It almost came from a fast break, with Ryan McGeever just managing to snuff out the attack as the ball came to Spence, before Taggart went agonisingly close with a thunderous effort which sailed just wide.

The Spiders were looking increasingly desperate as they hunted for a leveller, with Jamie McKernon not far away from providing it as he tried his luck from distance.

But it finally arrived in stoppage time, with substitute Ewan MacPherson having the final say as he arrived to head home Sean Burns’ cross.

After the game, Wasps boss Jim Goodwin admitted to his disappointment at his side’s failure to see the game out.

He said: “It feels like a defeat to be honest. It always does when you miss out on a win with the last kick of the ball.

“We were excellent in the second half and controlled the game for long spells, but you have to give credit to Queen’s Park.

“We didn’t kill the game off and when that happens, teams are going to get chances. They took theirs but we should have been 3-1 or 4-1 up.”

Alloa Athletic: Parry, Taggart, Waters, McKeown, Graham, Holmes, Cawley, Flannigan, Spence (Hetherington), Kirkpatrick (Longworth), Mackin. Not used: Marr, McCluskey, Robertson, Hynd, MacDowall.