Alloa Athletic...................0

Raith Rovers....................0

Scottish League One

ALLOA slipped out of the League One playoff places despite holding leaders Raith Rovers to a goalless draw at the Indodrill Stadium last Saturday.

Both sides had chances, and goalkeepers Neil Parry and Aaron Lennox impressed between the sticks.

Jim Goodwin made one change to the team which lost out to Dundee United last week, with Ross Stewart coming back in to replace Kevin Cawley.

Alloa had the better of the opening period and Lennox was called into action twice, holding Stewart’s powerful header and getting down well to tip away a stinging drive from Jordan Kirkpatrick.

His opposite number Parry also excelled, making a stunning save to deny Euan Murray after the centre-back had got his head to a Bobby Barr corner.

The big keeper was slightly less convincing when he fumbled Liam Buchanan’s dipping effort. Greig Spence was first to the rebound but, fortunately for the Wasps, he was flagged offside.

Kris Renton was proving an outlet for Alloa and he almost latched onto Callum Crane’s long pass over the top, but he was beaten by the bounce of the ball.

Raith continued to threaten and when Parry failed to get enough distance on a punch Lewis Vaughan sent a shot back with interest, but in a crowded area his effort was blocked.

Alloa began the second half on the front foot and Stewart had a sight of goal when Lennox could only palm a cross into his path, but before the striker could react David McKay had hacked the ball away to safety.

The home side continued to press and Andy Graham headed inches wide from a Steven Hetherington free kick eight minutes into the second half.

Parry was forced into action on the hour mark, saving well from the dangerous Willis Furtado, who had caused problems cutting in from the left flank all afternoon.

Moments later Graham had to be alert to steer a cross from Barr behind for a corner as former Alloa man Liam Buchanan lurked with intent at the back post.

Goodwin brought on Kevin Cawley in an effort to swing the game the way of the Wasps and the substitute almost had an instant impact, driving at the heart of the Rovers defence and into a good position before he was unfortunate to lose his footing.

Furtado had been the visitors’ most threatening player in the final third and he had another sight of goal with ten minutes remaining, but with several Alloa defenders closing him down he couldn’t steer his shot on target.

Iain Flannigan had caused Rovers issues with his deliveries all afternoon and he stepped up when Alloa won a free kick 25 yards from goal with five minutes remaining, only to see his curling effort go just the wrong side of the post.

Callum Crane had to be alert as another ball into the box led to a scramble, the left-back heading off the line to save his side.

Both sides could have won it as the game entered stoppage time. Stewart sent a header looping over the bar, before Parry and Graham combined to deny Barr when the Rovers winger raced in on goal.

The final chance of the game was the most clear-cut of all. Steven Hetherington whipped in a free kick, which the onrushing Cawley could only direct over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Crucially, the ball had taken a slight nick off the wall on its way to the midfielder, and he was unable to readjust in time to direct the header on target.

A draw was a deserved result in the end, but didn’t help either side as the Wasps dropped out of the playoff places while Raith conceded top spot to Alloa’s next opponents Ayr United.

ALLOA: Parry, Taggart, Crane, Graham, McCart, Fleming, Stewart, Hetherington, Renton (Cawley), Kirkpatrick (Robertson), Flannigan. UNUSED SUBS: Malcolm, McKeown, Monaghan, Wilson.