AN ALL-TOO familiar setting and an all-too familiar story – Alloa once again received another red card and conceded late to lose at home.

The Wasps hosted an out of form Dumbarton, who were winless in their last six games, at the Indodrill Stadium for their Cinch League One home match.

Barry Ferguson's side looked to extend their four-game unbeaten streak and move within touching distance of the league leaders Airdrieonians who were just seven points ahead.

An unchanged squad from the side that drew 2-2 with Montrose the previous week started as the gaffer appeared to finally have his squad gelling together.

The first half was a quiet affair: Alloa dominated possession, but Dumbarton defended comfortably in their own half and didn't allow the Wasps any space in the attacking third.

The home side struggled to break down Dumbarton's defence and lacked any creativity going forward which led to only a few frustrated long ranged efforts that were all off target.

After a goalless and flat first half both teams came out after the break and played with a much greater intensity. It took Alloa 54 minutes to register their first of only two shots on target as an excellent low drilled shot from outside the box by Charlie Gilmour forced a fingertip save from Dumbarton's Sam Ramsbottom.

A blistering run on the hour mark from Dumbarton's Conner Duthie left both Mouhammed Niang and Fernandy Mendy, who were both guilty of poor defending, in the dust.

Duthie crossed the ball from out wide into the box to Kalvin Orsi whose awkward touch bounced up and onto Gilmour's hand.

A tough penalty to concede for Alloa which, assistant manager Paddy Connolly, said: "I'm sort of 50/50 [with] that one, but you know you [have] just got to get on with it and deal with it, it's just one of these things its ball to hand isn't it.

"Listen, I'd be claiming for it if it was us, I'd be screaming for the penalty."

Dumbarton's skipper Stuart Carswell stepped up and slotted the penalty into the bottom right corner as David Hutton dived to the left.

Ten minutes later, as Alloa were now chasing the game, Ferguson chose to take off holding midfielder Niang for striker Conor Sammon who within minutes of coming on was able to draw the Wasps level.

A deep ball from a free kick by Scott Taggart found Mark Durnan back post who was able to square the ball across the six-yard box for super sub Sammon to tap in with his first touch of the game.

The celebrations; however, were short lived as immediately after the restart Alloa's Mendy was involved in an altercation with Dumbarton's Andy Geggan.

Geggan appeared to kick the ball at Mendy after the ref had blown his whistle for a foul on Alan Trouten and Mendy reacted poorly by confronting the Sons player.

A second yellow card for Mendy, who picked up his first yellow card for a lazy tackle 10 minutes earlier, meant he was off with 20 minutes left to play.

Mendy's sending off now means Alloa have seen four red cards in their nine home matches this season.

With Alloa down to 10 men, Craig Howie replaced Euan Henderson who, despite being on red hot goal scoring form, had a very quiet game.

Dumbarton took full advantage of having an extra man and piled on the pressure which was rewarded with nine minutes to go.

Some poor closing down by Alloa allowed Dumbarton's own super sub Eoghan Stokes to knock the ball past Trouten and unleash a well struck shot inside the box that went across the face of the goal and into the bottom left corner past Hutton.

There was a last-minute chance in stoppage time for Alloa as a long ball over the top by Gilmour found Steven Boyd who timed his run perfectly.

Boyd tried to lob the keeper who was off his line, but his shot was too heavy, and it floated over the crossbar which pretty much summed up Alloa's performance.

As the full-time whistle was blown the Indodrill Stadium was filled with boos as the home supporters were far from impressed by a lacklustre performance from the Wasps.

Connolly said after the game he was "very disappointed" with how the match played out and admitted that the manager had words at half time about the lack of intensity.

He added: "We just need to pick ourselves up and go again."

Instead of moving closer to the top Alloa are now nine points behind first place Cove Rangers as they sit in the middle of the table in sixth place.

Their next game is at home against Bonnyrigg Rose in the third round of the Scottish Cup which they will be looking to bounce back from their defeat.

ALLOA: Hutton, Durnan, Mendy, Robertson, Taggart, Niang (Sammon), Gilmour, Scougall (Trouten), Cawley, Boyd, Henderson (Howie). UNUSED SUBS: Burt, Church, King, O'Donnell