IT HAPPENS so often it football it never comes as a surprise.

Teams dominate entire matches – or in Alloa’s case have plenty of golden opportunities – and don’t make the most of it.

Inevitably, at some point the other team will get a chance and they will take it.

Once again Alloa didn’t exactly play well in last night’s defeat to Falkirk. In the first half they created some good chances but couldn’t take them. In the second half they were woeful.

The first real chance of the match fell to Falkirk but Anton Dowds’ volley was well saved by David Hutton.

Some neat passing by Alloa in the final third finally ended with Adam King’s attempted through ball just having too much on it for Conor Sammon to get on the end of it.

It would be Sammon who had the best of the chances for the Wasps and on two occasions he should have opened the scoring. A first time cross by Scott Taggart dropped on the edge of the six yard box and Sammon stole a yard on Paul Watson to nip in front and touch the ball towards goal. Goalkeeper Robbie Mutch was beaten but the effort went wide of the post.

Sammon, who was a real menace to the Falkirk backline for the entire first half, was able to turn and play in Euan Henderson. The Hearts loanee got a shot off but Mutch saved.

Blaise Riley-Snow showed some tremendous passing ability throughout the first half and the pick of the bunch was a clip over the defence to Sammon. The striker had all the time in the world but chose to head the ball first time and Mutch caught it easily. A little more composure and he would have been one on one.

Mark Durnan, returning to the starting line up in place of Andy Graham, played a great pass in to Steven Boyd’s feet. The winger turned well however he chose a poor left footed shot instead of slipping Henderson in and the Hearts loanee was understandably frustrated.

Boyd would have the last good chance of the half, controlling a decent cross by Daniel Church on his chest and firing a volley into the side netting.

As referee Duncan Williams blew the half time whistle there was a sense that Alloa would live to regret their missed opportunities and it took less than five minutes for that feeling to become a reality.

A pass into the feet of Jaze Kabia wasn’t closed down quickly enough by Fernandy Mendy. The striker took one touch to set the ball and then used Mendy to curl the ball around him and into the far corner. The strike was perfect but the defending was poor.

Barely five minutes after the Bairns opened the scoring they doubled their lead. A free kick from the edge of the box was rifled into the net by Craig McGuffie. Hutton had no chance and Alloa’s heads dropped.

With less than 15 minutes to go Falkirk put the game to bed. A free header in the box for Watson bounced off the crossbar into the six yard box and Dowds, who ghosted past a stationary Mendy and Cameron O’Donnell, headed into an empty net.

After a much needed win on Saturday, Falkirk offered a real opportunity for Alloa to get their season back on track. Falkirk were one place and four points above the Wasps and a win would have given Alloa a glimmer of promotion hope. As it stands Queen’s Park, in the last play-off spot, are nine points above Alloa with a game in hand.

One win in 11 league games is not promotion form. Alloa look set for another year in League One.

ALLOA: Hutton, Taggart, Mendy, Durnan, Church, King (Scougall), Riley-Snow, Niang (O’Donnell), Boyd (Cawley), Henderson, Sammon. UNUSED: Burt, Howie, Graham, Armour, O’Donnell, Armstrong