It was a case of ‘good things come to those who wait’ for Alloa as they recorded their first league win over Morton at Cappielow since 1928 with a 2-0 victory last weekend.

The Alloa boss kept the faith with the same starting eleven that brought a halt to the unbeaten run of league leaders Hamilton Accies the previous week, as they travelled to Greenock to face Allan Moore’s basement strugglers.

The home side started the better and enjoyed the lions share of possession in the opening exchanges of the match as Alloa looked wary of their hosts at first due to their recent heroic cup win over Celtic at Parkhead.

The hero that night for The Ton was Dougie Imrie and he immediately tried to inspire his side again as he tested Scott Bain with an early shot from range but the keeper gathered comfortably.

Imrie was soon in range of the Alloa goal again when he dispossessed Kevin Cawley on the edge of the box but once again the Wasps’ stopper was equal to the shot as he tipped the ball to safety for a corner.

Hartley’s men came to life on eight minutes when a clever corner from Ryan McCord was dummied by Cawley to set up a shooting chance for Stephen Simmons but his shot was well saved on the goal line by Morton keeper Nicolas Careaux.

Alloa then carved out a brilliant double chance. Firstly, Holmes stretched the Morton defence with a diagonal ball in behind to put Andy Kirk in on goal but his shot went straight at the onrushing Careaux when any lift on the ball would have been a certain goal for the visitors.

Daryll Meggatt then found Declan McManus with another brilliant diagonal in behind Marc Fitzpatrick but keeper again got out to smother the young striker’s effort.

The home fans were on their feet in joy on 20 minutes when Scott Taggart’s thunderbolt shot from long range looked to have found Bain’s top left corner but the celebrations were premature as the ball had hit the side netting.

Morton tried to turn the screw and created two more openings as they searched for that all important opening goal.

First, Imrie managed to wriggle free in the Alloa box and looked ready to slot home from 12 yards with the goal at his mercy but Ben Gordon somehow got across to make a heroic block to keep the scores level.

Gordon then went from hero to villain, however, as he passed up a golden opportunity to put the Wasps in front.

Simmons found McManus free three yards from goal with yet another accurate pass over the top of the Morton defence but the youngster’s effort was blocked for a corner by the in-form Caraux.

From the corner, McCord’s in-swinger broke to Gordon just eight yards out but the big defender blazed the ball over when it looked easier to score.

Then came a moment of real class from Hartley’s side as a well worked move created a brilliant chance for Cawley at the back post.

He flew in with a brilliant diving header to force the ball goal ward despite the cross being slightly over hit but he was denied by a stunning one-handed save and then catch by Careaux that had the whole of the crowd on their feet in appreciation.

Alloa were now banging on the door as the Morton defence were being stretched to the limit. Graeme Holmes and Kirk both passed up decent chances to score as the visitors continued to pepper the home side’s goal.

The inevitable breakthrough finally came on 41 minutes when brilliant worked down the right by Michael Doyle created space for himself to find Holmes free in the Morton area with an accurate cross.

The former Ton player made no mistake, scoring at the second attempt to put his current employers ahead of his old ones.

Alloa held a deserved lead at the break and started the second half as they ended the first, when they almost immediately doubled their advantage.

The rampaging Doyle once again found space, this time down the left, and his cross once brilliantly teed up for Kirk who bulleted home the header from six yards.

Morton were in disarray at this point and the Wasps almost made it three when Jason Marr’s bullet header from the corner had to be scrambled off the line by the beleaguered Jonathan Page.

Allan Moore made all three substitutes in an attempt to change the game but with little impact as the game petered out with Alloa in complete control but for the odd long range speculative effort from the hosts.

The visitors ended the game the stronger and should have added to their tally on a few occasions late on.

McManus, first was unlucky not to score his first goal for the club when he rounded the keeper but his effort from a tight angle was deflected onto the post by the covering defender.

The final clear cut chance of the match fell to Cawley who beat his man with a terrific flick over his head but shot was well saved by Careaux.

This was a stunning win for the men from Recreation Park and their best all round team performance of the season so far and the timing of this confidence-boosting win could not be better as they now face Falkirk in a tasty local derby this weekend.

Alloa Athletic: Bain, Doyle, Meggatt, Gordon, Marr, Simmons, McCord, Cawley, Kirk (Young 83), Holmes (Flannigan 78), McManus (Salmon 77).

Subs not used: McDowall, Tiffoney, Robertson.

Greenock Morton: Caraux, Taggart, Fitzpatrick, Page (McKee 59), Peciar, Habai, Bachirou, Stirling, Imrie, Campbell (Wallace 66), Fulton (McNeil 66).

Subs not used: Gaston, McLaughlin.

Referee: Don Robertson Advertiser Man of the Match: Kevin Cawley