IN THE end, it wasn't to be.

Alloa gave it a good go, especially in the final 20 minutes of the game, but Celtic were able to hold out and seal their progress into the next round of the Scottish Cup.

In front of 3,022 fans, Alloa fought, scrapped and played some good football right up until the last whistle. On another day, with a better bit of luck, it might have gone to extra time.

From the first minute, Alloa's game plan seemed clear. Sit deep, don't give Celtic's creative players a second on the ball and then go long for Conor Sammon.

It wasn't the prettiest of game plans but Barry Ferguson admitted afterwards he knew he couldn't send his team out to try and play as Celtic would tear them apart.

Within minutes Alloa were almost ahead. Great work by Mouhamed Niang saw the Partick Thistle loanee steal the ball from Anthony Ralston and the ball fell to Sammon in the centre circle. Glancing up, he spotted Joe Hart off his line and went for the spectacular. The ball went over the bar but not by much and if you don't try you don't succeed.

It would take Celtic less than a quarter of an hour to take the lead. A wonderful cross by Liam Scales was aimed towards the near post and Giorgos Giakoumakis nipped in between Andy Graham and Mark Durnan to volley the ball past a helpless David Hutton.

In truth, Celtic and Giakoumakis should have doubled their tallies a minute later. A long ball should have been dealt with by Graham but his header was weak and the Greek striker pounced. Driving towards goal, Durnan slipped and Giakoumakis was one on one with Hutton but could only lift the ball over the keeper and past the post after good pressure by a recovering Graham.

Alloa were holding on with Celtic dominating the ball when the chance that all associated with the club had dreamt about finally came around. A bouncing ball was prodded back towards Hart by Callum McGregor but it bounced into the path of Sammon. He unleashed a great volley towards goal but Hart made a magnificent save.

"I think I've caught it too well," Sammon said after the match. "I've struck it really, really clean. It's probably one of those where you need to scuff it into the corner or through his legs."

The severity of the miss would be felt on the stroke of half time as Celtic doubled their lead. Liel Abada's attempted through ball was intercepted by Craig Howie but he could only knock the ball back into Abada's path. Opening his body up, he fired a terrific left-footed strike into the far post with Hutton, rooted to the spot, having no chance to save.

At half time Ferguson made a change to bring Jon Robertson on in place of Howie and the move gave Alloa a little bit more control on the rare occasions when they had the ball.

Hutton would be called into action within minutes of the restart, pawing away a cross by Abada which might have been sneaking in. He then got down quickly to deny a diving header by Daizen Maeda.

Alloa held on, and held on. Maeda should have put the game to bed but could only find the side netting and as the deficit stayed at two, Alloa always had a chance.

With 15 minutes left to play, Alloa got themselves back in it. A great through ball by Scott Taggart found the run of Robertson, who managed to drift into Celtic's box without anyone tracking him. He floated the ball into the six-yard box and Sammon was able to power a header past Hart after Carl Starfelt couldn't reach the ball.

Another golden chance would fall Celtic's way, with Maeda running in behind and getting on the end of Nir Bitton's through ball. Celtic's January arrival decided to try and square the ball instead of going for goal and Graham was on hand to block the ball.

Two chances for the equaliser came and went in the dying minutes. First, it was Niang who saw a long-range effort go well over the bar. Then, a cut back to a lively Alan Trouten gave the veteran a chance to take the game to extra time but he blasted over the bar and out the stadium.

In the end, it wasn't to be, but those Alloa players can hold their heads high.

Back to reality this weekend with a trip to face Clyde, Alloa are still awaiting that league win that has eluded them for so long.

It's imperative that they take the confidence from this performance and use it to fuel their disappearing promotion hopes.

ALLOA: Hutton, Taggart, Graham, Durnan, Church, Howie (Robertson), King (Scougall), Niang, Cawley (Trouten), Boyd, Sammon. UNUSED: Burt, O'Donnell, Armour, Armstrong