ALLOA Athletic ended a 17-game hoodoo against Dumbarton with an impressive 3-0 win at the Indodrill Stadium.

New boss Danny Lennon took charge for the first time and made his presence felt with four changes to the side that lost 3-0 at Hearts in midweek.

John Gibson replaced Craig McDowall in goal, Michael Doyle and Daryll Meggatt both returned to the defence in place of David Ferguson, who dropped to the bench, and Jonathan Tiffoney who missed out. Michael Chopra also came in up front in place of the suspended Mark Docherty.

The changes looked to take an immediate effect as the Wasps came flying out of the traps early on to create the first opening.

Great link up play between Chopra and Liam Buchanan, set up a shooting opportunity for the latter, but Andy Graham was there to make a crucial block from close range.

Dumbarton’s respite was only a short one, however, as the deadlock was broken minutes later.

McCord did well to burst through from midfield, only to be hauled down 20-yards from goal. Iain Flannigan stepped up and smashed a curling effort in off the inside of the post to send the home fans into raptures.

It should have been 2-0 five minutes later when a great pass from Flannigan put Buchanan racing to the byline, his cutback found Chopra, but the Sons’ defence recovered to block the shot.

Alloa pressed home their advantage on 20 minutes when they doubled their lead with another special strike.

Meggatt did well to rescue a long pass and find Cawley in space. He ran past his marker, cut onto his right foot, and unleashed an unstoppable strike that flew up into the top corner to make it 2-0.

Lennon’s men were still hungry for more goals and they could have made it three in the 23 minute. McCords set piece was headed goalwards by Ben Gordon and Graham had to scoop the ball clear off the line with Cawley waiting to pounce.

Ian Murray’s men were soon gift-wrapped an opportunity to reduce the deficit when Meggatt’s attempted clearance deflected off the back of his own player to send Archie Campbell racing in on Gibson, but the former Rangers youngster dragged his shot wide.

The hosts ended the half on top and some neat football between Flannigan, Cawley and McCord sent Buchanan racing into the box, but after beating his marker, the shot was wide.

The visitors started the better after the restart. Ex-Wasp Scott Agnew picked out Jordan Kirkpatrick in behind the Alloa defence, but Kyle Benedictus got across to snuff out the danger.

Danny Lennon then introduced Greig Spence just before the hour in place of the tiring Chopra and the change almost reaped immediate rewards. Flannigan and McCord combined well again in the middle of the park, and when the Sons defence left the back pass short, Spence nipped in front on the keeper to finish, but the effort was just into the side netting.

The 21-year-old hitman did not have to wait long to make amends when he added a third goal on 70 minutes.

A superb diagonal ball from Meggatt saw Spence run through clear, lob the ball over the keeper then nod the ball into the empty net for a 3-0 lead.

Alloa went into cruise control after this and could have added a fourth with two great chances.

Firstly, McCord latched onto hesitation in the Sons defence to burst through to shoot from the edge of the area, but Rogers was there to deny him with a great save.

McCord then turned provider when he fed Doyle in down the right, he fizzed a superb ball across the face of goal, but Cawley just couldn’t get the contact.

The Wasps saw the game out well to secure a vital three points in their fight for survival and the win reduced the gap to just two points to Cowdenbeath in eighth.

Alloa Athletic: Gibson, Doyle, Meggatt, Gordon, Benedictus, Holmes, McCord, Flannigan (Ferguson 86), Cawley, Chopra (Spence 58), Buchanan (Layne 89). Subs not used: McDowall, Asghar, Rutherford, Roberts.

Advertiser sport man-of-the-match: Ryan McCord