THREE points were secured on Saturday to all but guarantee Alloa's place in League One next season.

The Wasps defeated Clyde 1-0 thanks to Ross MacIver's first goal for the club. With three games left to play, Alloa now sit eight points ahead of Dumbarton, who currently occupy the relegation play off position.

Daniel Church dropped out of the team for the returning Scott Taggart while Kevin Cawley was replaced by MacIver.

Brian Rice's side would have been out for revenge against Danny Lennon's team, who had gotten the better of the Wasps in the three previous league meetings this season.

Alloa's first sight at goal fell to Euan Henderson. The Hearts loanee was chopped down on the edge of the box and stepped up to hit the resulting free kick but could only fire it into the welcoming gloves of former Alloa goalkeeper Neil Parry.

Conor Sammon controlled a great pass by Jon Robertson and tried to lay the ball off to MacIver but there wasn't enough in the pass and it was intercepted.

MacIver wouldn't wait long for his first chance, after somehow finding himself with the ball from Craig Howie's long throw. His snapshot effort went high over the bar.

Howie himself then had a go but couldn't hit the target as he looked to score against his former team.

For a few minutes it seemed Howie was at the centre of everything. After taking a couple of sore ones from his former teammates, he played a wonderful ball across the face of goal that was just ahead of Sammon's outstretched boot.

A golden chance would then fall for Henderson. Sammon managed to get on the end of a free kick and headed it across goal. Henderson was free, but for some reason he attempted to control the ball with his chest instead of heading into an empty net.

Church took to the field in place of the injured Taggart and was involved in a great move. Church and Scougall played a few good passes before MacIver slotted in Church's third man run. The left back cut the ball back for Henderson but his shot was blocked. At the moment nothing is coming off for the striker who couldn't stop scoring in his first spell at the club.

The first half ended in a stalemate but Alloa came out the traps flying in the second half. Steven Boyd saw a good left foot strike saved by Parry but Alloa were knocking on the door.

Ten minutes after the restart, Alloa took the lead. Andy Graham was given far too much time to drive forward and eventually found Boyd.

He flicked the ball into Sammon's path and he was able to see it through to MacIver, who took one touch before rifling the ball past a helpless Parry.

Rice said after the match: "Every player gets better the more regular football they get. I brought Ross here because I see him as a starter for us and, like I say, the boys were doing that well he had to bide his time.

"He's shown great attitude in training and great attitude coming off the bench.

"Like I say, I'm absolutely delighted because I've seen a lot of Ross. I used to watch him as a kid when he played with Ross County, and he always stuck in my head.

"There was always something about him that I liked. I'm absolutely delighted for the lad."

Henderson would then control Scougall's pass and cut inside to shoot. His effort was good but Parry was equal and saved with a strong hand.

MacIver will be delighted to score his first goal for the club but the striker should have had a hat trick. Henderson found him in the box with a great pass and, after two Clyde defenders were sucked in, MacIver found himself one on one with Parry but could only hit the keeper.

With just minutes left, Mouhamed Niang, fresh off the bench, was able to win the ball from a tiring Clyde and found Henderson, who played a great through ball into MacIver's path.

The striker tried to lift the ball over the outrushing Parry but his effort went horribly wide.

In the end, it didn't matter as his strike at the beginning of the half was enough to seal the three points.

Alloa have trips away to Cove Rangers and Falkirk to come before a final home game against Montrose. Alloa's fate is in their own hands with Dumbarton eight points behind. Rice's side are playing well and will be quitely confident that they can stay up.

Nothing is assured though, and no lapses in concentration will be tolerated.

ALLOA: Morrison, Taggart (Church), Howie, Graham, Durnan, Robertson, Scougall (O'Donnell), Boyd (Niang), MacIver, Sammon (King), Henderson. UNUSED: Hutton, Armstrong, Riley-Snow, Armour