Alloa Athletic….............1

Queen’s Park…..............0

Ladbrokes League One

ALLOA left it late before sealing their first victory of the season, beating Queen’s Park at the Indodrill Stadium on Saturday.

Adam Martin’s superb strike with five minutes remaining handed the Wasps the points and ensured they got off the mark for the campaign.

Jim Goodwin named an unchanged side to the one which beat Dundee Colts in the Irn-Bru Cup last Wednesday, Kris Renton continuing up front alongside Craig Malcolm in the absence of Garry Fleming.

Queen’s almost opened the scoring inside the first two minutes, Thomas Orr ghosting in at the front post to reach a Connor McVey cross, but he couldn’t keep his header down.

Alloa responded, and Kevin Cawley tested Wullie Muir with a stinging drive, with Kris Renton just failing to turn home the rebound.

Alan Cook was inches away from converting Scott Taggart’s whipped cross, and Cawley got himself into another good position but was unable to find a team-mate.

Chances were coming for the Wasps, and Craig Malcolm’s header was held by Wullie Muir as the visitors survived once more.

Sean Burns was inches away from giving the Spiders the advantage with a fizzing drive from 25 yards which sailed just over Neil Parry’s crossbar.

And the hosts escaped again when Michael Bailey’s header looped over Parry, only for Andy Graham to clear it off the line.

Burns almost broke the deadlock for a second time on the half-hour mark when his low shot beat the Wasps' keeper, but Taggart was there to clear the danger.

Both sides had chances in the opening minute of the second half. Alloa had an opportunity when Cook found space on the left, only for his cutback to fall behind the run of Malcolm, while at the other end Thomas Orr should have done better with a tame shot which Parry saved easily.

Malcolm was then denied by a great save from Muir after he had been played in by Renton.

The visiting keeper was in fine form and produced another terrific stop, this time palming away Iain Flannigan’s viciously struck free kick.

Goodwin threw on Steven Hetherington and Martin in an effort to make the difference, and the latter almost made an immediate impact, drawing another good save from Muir at his near post.

Orr was providing the visitors’ main threat and forced Parry into action again with a low drive, the keeper proving equal to the effort and keeping the game scoreless.

Though it had been a frustrating afternoon for the Wasps, they finally made the breakthrough with five minutes remaining.

Martin picked up the ball on the edge of the box and shifted it onto his right foot, before unleashing a wonderful shot which curled beyond Muir and into the top corner for his first goal of the new season.

That strike was enough to see the Wasps triumph and claim their first victory of the season, and leaves them approaching Saturday’s encounter against Airdrie with renewed optimism for the campaign ahead.

ALLOA: Parry, Taggart, Crane, Graham, Meggatt, Robertson, Cawley, Flannigan, Malcolm, Renton (Hetherington), Cook (Martin). SUBS NOT USED: McKeown, Grant, McDonald, Cunningham, McDowall.