Alloa Athletic advanced to the second round of the Petrofac Training Cup after a 1-0 win over Brora Rangers at Dudgeon Park.

Danny Lennon was without the suspended Graeme Holmes and Mikk Reintam, who still awaits international clearance, but the Wasps were boosted by striker Geoff Mitchell receiving clearance to take his place in their starting eleven.

There was also competitive debuts for new signings Mark Williams, Catalin Paun, Colin Hamilton, Michael Duffy, Burton O’Brien and Conor McManus. Newly appointed club captain Dougie Hill took to the field to officially begin his third spell at the club, while like-wise David Crawford made his second debut for the club in goals after his return.

The new-look Wasps started the game brightly and could have been in front inside the first three minutes. On-loan Celtic star Duffy started and almost finished a brilliant move when he beat two players and laid the ball wide to Hamilton down the left, his cross picked out the young winger again, but the shot was gathered at the second attempt by the scrambling Joe Malin in the Brora goal.

Ten minutes later, the visitors once again passed up a good chance to take the lead. Eddie Ferns got down the left with some explosive pace, beat his marker and picked out the run of Iain Flannigan at the back post, but his header was just over the top.

Alloa were once again foiled by the Brora keeper on 14 minutes when some neat footwork by Flannigan setup the chance to cross, he picked out Hamilton in the box but the goal-bound bullet header was brilliantly tipped over the top by Malin.

On-loan Celtic duo McManus and Duffy then combined well to push the Wasps forward again on 25 minutes. The youngsters combined well with a superb combination of passes to advance past four players and setup a shooting chance for Flannigan, but the shot was fizzed just wide of the target.

The visitors were dominating proceedings and Flannigan’s corner moments later was inches out of reach for Hamilton who was unmarked at the backpost, but the Highlanders survived again.

Richard Brittain’s men seemed to be gaining confidence from every missed Alloa chance as they began to impose themselves one the game just before half time, but they almost paid the price.

Ferns burst out on the counter attack to speed past two players, he got round the last defender, but was forced wide and his shot on goal was over the top. Brora had their first foray forward into the Wasps box and could have taken a shock lead when Martin McLean picked out the run of Scott Graham, but the winger’s shot on goal was thwarted by a superb block from Hill as the sides went in goalless at half time.

Mitchell then sprang to life for the visitors after the interval and he was to prove the match winner when he latched onto a superb through pass from Iain Flannigan to smash the ball home across the keeper from 12 yards.

The hosts rallied and put in a battling display to push their SPFL Championship opponents all the way after the goal and began to get on top as they went in search of an equaliser.

Mclean picked out the run of Zander Sutherland, who burst into the Alloa box, but his attempts on goal were thwarted by both Williams and then Hill.

The Highlanders continued to press and could have been level on 64 minutes when Sutherland’s cross hit the back of Paun and fell at the feet of striker partner Steven Mackay, but Crawford gathered the shot comfortably.

Alloa then broke out on the counter attack when Hamilton played Flannigan in behind the defence with a great ball down the left, his cross was just over the head of Mitchell, fell at the feet of Ferns, but his shot on the half volley was tipped wide by Malin.

Brora almost caught Alloa out with a long diagonal as Sutherland raced in on goal, but Hill got back to make a superb last ditch challenge to deflect the shot wide.

A moment of controversy followed on 82 minutes that might have changed the match when Hamilton, as the last man in the Wasps defence, tangled with Sutherland on the edge of the box, but the referee waved play on and ruled no foul to the anger of the home side.

Brora should have levelled the match moments later, when Sutherland wriggled free in the box to shoot from eight yards out, but Crawford was there to foil him with a stunning point blank save. From the corner, the ball fell to player-manager Brittain, but Hamilton did well to block the shot.

Alloa finished the game on the front foot and were unlucky not to add to their lead. The skillful Duffy skipped past two players on the edge of the box with a few minutes remaining, but his shot was straight at the keeper.

Substitute Omar Kader then made an impact as he combined brilliantly with Williams on the counter attack and pick out Mitchell from the cutback, but the big striker fluffed his shot and chance was gone.

It should have been 2-0 with the final chance of the match when Williams sent Mitchell racing through on goal, he beat the last defender brilliantly, but the keeper foiled him with a superb point-blank save.

The Wasps held their nerve under some late pressure from the Highlanders to advance into the second round as they look to emulate last season’s heroics in the competition.

Advertiser man-of-the-match: Dougie Hill Alloa Athletic: Crawford, Williams, Paun, Hill, Hamilton, O’Brien, McManus, Flannigan (McAusland 79), Mitchell, Duffy, Ferns (Kader 79). Subs not used: McNeil, Marr, Layne, Hetherington, Lynas.