ON A SURFACE that wouldn’t look out of place on a list of world’s worst pitches, Alloa recorded just their second victory in their last 14 attempts at the weekend.

In the first game since Barry Ferguson resigned with the club toiling at the lower end of the table, Alloa travelled to Dumbarton looking for a much-needed three points.

Thanks to a contribution from both Storm Eunice and the fact Dumbarton share their pitch with the Rangers B Team, the pitch was in a terrible state with clumps of sand covering the park to soak up the water.

Alloa started with an expected line up, Conor Sammon leading the line in place of the suspended Euan Henderson. Blaise Riley-Snow dropped to the bench, as did Stefan Scougall, with Jon Robertson and Steven Boyd stepping in.

Scott Taggart would be first to test former Wasps goalkeeper Kieran Wright, cutting inside from the right wing and firing a left footed shot at goal.

The next chance for the Wasps fell to Mouhamed Niang. A decent move saw Sammon, Kevin Cawley and Adam King involved. Eventually King spread the ball wide to Taggart and his cute cut back found Niang alone in the box however he miskicked his shot and sent the ball wide.

A little after 20 minutes Cawley would put Alloa in front. A long ball towards Sammon by Daniel Church floated over everyone and King was alive at the back post, running onto the ball and squaring it across the face of goal. Cawley, in his 402nd Alloa appearance, was perfectly placed to pass the ball into an empty net.

Dumbarton would put the ball in the back of Alloa’s net five minutes before half time but referee Lloyd Wilson gave a foul to the Wasps. Ross Maclean cut inside and shot from distance.

A deflection off Cawley almost caught David Hutton out but he managed to catch the ball before being bundled over the line by Conner Duthie.

The hosts wouldn’t have to wait long as Paul Paton’s effort from outside the box levelled the score on the stroke of half time.

Mark Durnan has a decent scoring record so far in his Alloa career but the defender will be mystified as to how he didn’t add to his tally. A floated set piece was flicked on to the back post and Durnan, from three yards out, had only the keeper to beat but somehow managed to hit the ball right at him.

With less than 10 minutes to go, Alloa were given a gift by their former goalkeeper. A pass back from the halfway line was bobbling towards Wright, with King closing him down.

On that surface, it’s impossible not to feel for Wright, who completely mishit the ball and sliced it into King’s path. King rounded the keeper and, from an impossible angle, fired the ball into the net. Carlo Pignatiello tried to divert it but could only fire it into the roof of the net.

King almost doubled his tally with a decent effort across the face of goal before Sammon also had a great chance to put the Wasps two in front.

In the end Alloa survived a late onslaught as the hosts chased an equaliser. A massive three points for Alloa as they move to seventh in the table, two points above Dumbarton.

Next up for the Wasps is Cove Rangers who sit top of the table. Eight points off the play offs, it is not impossible but consistency is required.

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