Alloa 1-1 Raith: Late sting for the Wasps

ALLOA were stung by a late equaliser from Raith Rovers as their League One opener ended in a share of the spoils at the Indodrill Stadium.

Kevin Cawley gave the Wasps the lead inside the opening quarter of an hour, before his side had to withstand periods of pressure with the title favourites pushed for a leveller.

That eventually came from Lewis Vaughan in the dying seconds, just as it looked as if the hosts would hold out for all three points.

Jim Goodwin handed a start to new signing Callum Crane, who signed on loan from Hibernian on Friday, while Craig Malcolm also returned from the injury he sustained at Ross County on Betfred Cup duty. Steven Hetherington and Kris Renton were the two to make way.

Former Wasps Greig Spence and Liam Buchanan both started up front for  Rovers, who were looking to get off to a flier in their quest to make an immediate return to the Championship.

Scott Taggart was proving to be a threat early on and he drilled a shot over the bar, before his dangerous cross was flicked behind by Euan Murray.

Buchanan made a habit of scoring against his former club when he was with Livingston and almost continued that trend, finding a good position in the box only to see his shot blocked by Wasps skipper Andy Graham.

Kyle Benedictus was another former Alloa star lining up for Rovers and he almost found the net with a header, only for Crane to make his first contribution in a black and gold shirt with a vital goal-line clearance.

But Alloa looked more threatening and an excellent passage of play almost led to the opener.

Jon Robertson fired a terrific through ball into the path of the onrushing Taggart, whose cross found Malcolm. He laid the ball off for Iain Flannigan, who saw the chance open up for him, but his shot passed just the wrong side of Aaron Lennox’s post.

However, the first goal of the new league season did arrive with a quarter of an hour played, and once again Taggart was instrumental.

He cut inside from the right and played the ball into the path of Cawley, whose lovely finish from the edge of the box gave Lennox no chance as it sailed into the bottom corner.

The visitors immediately went in search of a leveller and were almost back on terms midway through the half. Vaughan and Buchanan saw efforts blocked by a pile of bodies, before Spence was close to turning home the loose ball, Neil Parry coming to Alloa’s rescue.

Buchanan and Spence were linking up well, and the latter should have scored again when he got on the end of his strike partner’s cross, only to head straight into the arms of Parry.

And Alloa’s hearts were in their mouths again when Euan Murray’s teasing cross beat everyone and took a nick off the post on its way past.

Parry had to be alert to keep out Vaughan’s low drive, before he was called into action again to deal with Ross Callachan’s shot.

Malcolm was unlucky to see his glancing header from Taggart’s cross fly just wide as the Wasps looked to extend their advantage in the opening minutes of the second half.

Alloa were frustrating Rovers, and visiting skipper Callachan let his temper get the better of him when he kicked out at Robertson, but fortunately for him the referee missed the incident.

Garry Fleming had the chance to kill the game off when substitute Renton knocked the ball down for him in a good position, but he miscued his shot horribly.

And at the other end, Raith were screaming for a penalty when Crane hauled down Bobby Barr as he raced towards goal, but the referee controversially awarded a free kick just outside the box.

Cawley almost added a second for Alloa with an audacious overhead kick which was saved by Lennox, while at the other end, Parry denied Spence before Graham made a magnificent block to deny Vaughan.

Buchanan could and should have got his name on the scoresheet with ten minutes to go when a corner was flicked towards him in the six-yard box, but he somehow headed over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Flannigan went close to doubling Alloa’s advantage with a free kick, but Lennox made a terrific save to keep his side in with a fighting chance of taking something from the game.

And Cawley nearly added to his tally when he ghosted through a huge gap in the Rovers defence, only for Lennox to make an outstanding stop.

But there was late heartbreak for the Wasps as Rovers struck late. Jonathan Court slid the ball through for Vaughan, and he lashed a low shot across Parry and into the bottom corner to level things up.

That strike was no more than Raith deserved after a second half in which they held the lion’s share of the play, but Alloa will still be devastated that they were unable to hold out for maximum points.

ALLOA: Parry, Taggart, Crane, Graham, Meggatt, Robertson, Cawley, Flannigan, Malcolm (Renton), Fleming (Hetherington), Cook (Martin). UNUSED SUBS: Grant, McKeown, McDonald, McDowall.