Alloa boss Paul Hartley was beaming with pride after watching his men topple the previously unbeaten league leaders Hamilton Academical at Recreation Park last weekend.

Hartley was still without injured duo James Creaney and Eddie Ferns but he was able to include summer signing Iain Flannigan in his match day squad for the first time as the playmaker took his place on the bench.

The visitors started much the brighter and retained a lot of possession from the opening exchanges.

This led to Ali Campbell being the first to have a sight of goal but his long range effort flashed wide of Scott Bain’s post.

Alloa responded with a quick counter attack and after some great play down the left from Daryll Meggatt, he found Declan McManus with a through ball.

The youngster controlled and beat his man well but couldn’t keep his shot down and the effort was high and wide. Crawford then got another sight of goal from range but his effort was tame and trickled straight through to Bain.

Accies were almost in again moments later, when player/manager Alex Neil threaded a dangerous looking pass through the middle of the Wasps’ defence in the direction of Mickael Antoine-Curier but Jason Marr got across to make a vital interception and deny the big striker a clear shot at goal.

The opening half an hour was a very scrappy and tactical affair with the Lanarkshire men clearly having targeted the home sides playmakers Kevin Cawley and Ryan McCord for some special attention as both were fouled or harassed by at least two men each time they got on the ball.

McCord did manage to wriggle free from his markers to feed in McManus but his goal-bound effort was blocked clear for a corner.

From the resultant kick, McCord found Cawley short with a clever set play but the forward blazed his effort over the top.

At the other end Grant Gillespie found himself in space to unleash a vicious shot from 20 yards and Bain had to be alert to make a smart save as the game finally began to show signs of life.

The SPFL Championship leaders were now in full control of the match and on 38 minutes a mis-timed clearance from Ben Gordon gave Crawford yet another sight of Bain’s goal but once again he shot wide.

Accies main goal threat, James Keatings, then had a golden opportunity to score when he was played in by Gillespie but his goal-bound effort was deflected away brilliantly by Marr with a last ditch tackle.

From the corner, the ball broke to Antoine-Curier just three yards from goal but somehow the Frenchman managed to screw his shot wide of goal when it looked easier to score.

Then came the turning point in the match. Alloa forced a series of corners after a brilliant counter attack via McCord and Meggatt down the left.

From the third consecutive corner, Marr got across his man to meet the cross with a brilliant goal-bound header but Neil instinctly saved the ball with his hand of the line to push the ball over the crossbar with the keeper beaten.

The home players and fans were incensed when the referee awarded another corner having somehow missed the incident but lucky for Hartley’s men the linesman did see the handball and the Hamilton player/manager was given his marching orders as Alloa were awarded a penalty right on half time.

McCord stepped and cooly slotted the kick to put the home side 1-0 up at the interval.

Hamilton got themselves reorganised at half time and again started the better in second half despite Alloa’s numerical advantage.

The Recreation Park side were always looking dangerous on the break though and this produced the first opportunity of the half when a McCord free kick found Gordon free at the back post but his looping half volley went just over the top.

Hamilton’s star striker Keatings then stung the palms of Bain in the Alloa goal but the young keeper was equal to it.

Hartley introduced Iain Flannigan on 52 minutes for his competitive debut in place of Graeme Holmes and this change would see the balance swing back in the hosts favour as the new boy immediately combined well with McCord before feeding Cawley in down the Hamilton right.

The forward beat his men with ease before finding McManus from the cutback but he could only drag his shot wide of the target.

Alloa were now attacking at will and dominating the game as Flannigan and McCord were now running the show for the home side and Accies were struggling to cope with the penetrating runs of Meggatt down the left.

From one such run, Alloa almost made it two when Meggatt’s teasing cross found Cawley free at the back post but he couldn’t keep his header down.

Moments later Alloa went close again when McCord’s corner was dummied by Cawley and hit by Simmons whose effort was deflected goal ward and almost put in by Kirk from close range but the keeper made a superb close range save to deny the veteran forward.

Accies ended the match on the front foot as they threw men forward in a desperate attempt to rescue the game.

Full-back Ziggy Gordon had a long range effort that fizzed wide of goal before the final chance of the match fell to Antoine-Curier from a corner.

The ball fell kindly to the Frenchman six yards out but Bain made a terrific save right on the line to deny him from the shot as Alloa held on for a stunning victory and a vital three points.

Alloa Athletic: Bain, Doyle, Meggatt, Gordon, Marr, Simmons, Cawley, McCord, Kirk (Robertson 76’), Holmes (Flannigan 52’), McManus (Salmon 84’). Subs not used: Tiffoney, Young, McDowall.

Hamilton Academical: Cuthbert, Gordon, Hendrie (Finnie 78’), Devlin, Canning, Gillespie (Ryan 80’), Keatings (Andreu 76’), Neil, Crawford, McKinnon, Antoine-Curier. Subs not used McShane, Longridge, Tena, Currie.

Referee: Stevie O’Reilly Advertiser Sport man-of-the-match: Daryll Meggatt