A FIRST senior goal from Rangers-loanee Murray Miller helped secure another vital three points in the Wasps' push for a playoff place as they beat Clyde 3-1 at the Indodrill Stadium.

The hosts took lead early on through Ross MacIver but were pegged back just after the break.

However, Miller's strike from distance restored their advantage and a late goal from substitute Connor Sammon sees Alloa climb to third in the league table.

Rice named an unchanged side from last week's win against FC Edinburgh, and that decision paid off in the opening exchanges.

The Wasps quickly took control of the game and opened the scoring within ten minutes. Following some neat play between Donnelly and Coulson the ball came out to Jon Robertson on the right-hand side.

The second time around he delivered to the near post where an unmarked Ross MacIver simply had to flick it past Neil Parry in the Clyde goal.

Minutes later Kevin Cawley's glancing header fell narrowly wide from a Doyle cross.

Alloa controlled much of the half, but Clyde created a couple of half-chances. First, a combination of Stanger and Durnan blocked shots as the ball pinballed in the box, and then Barry Cuddihy's outside-of-the-boot effort was always rising.

Although, Alloa will be disappointed not to have scored more in the opening 45. Following some silky play down the right again, the cross once again came in from Doyle, but the ball just wouldn't drop for Coulson.

Doyle continued to cause Quitongo issues, turning him inside out and flashing the ball across the face of goal, Donnelly just inches away from a crucial touch.

Perhaps the best chance to add a second came to Coulson on the stroke of half time as he received a cutback from Doyle six yards out. But his shot lacked any real conviction and was well blocked.

Not long after the restart Clyde found themselves back in the game out of nothing. A long ball was flicked on by Kyle Docherty and substitute Liam Scullions effort from range trundled its way past Hogarth, clipping the post on the way in.

The keeper will be disappointed to have been beaten by a strike that lacked venom.

Despite the setback, Alloa continued to look bright going forward particularly from the wide areas through Coulson and Doyle. The pair nearly combining to retake the lead.

MacIver should have scored his second of the match when Erik Sula let the striker pinch the ball, but his subsequent shot was saved by Parry.

However, the Wasps would not be denied for long.

Just eight minutes after conceding their pressure finally paid off. A wide free kick was initially cleared by the Clyde defence, but the ball fell kindly for Murray Miller on the edge of the box.

The 21-year-old could not have hit the ball any sweater as he rifled into the top corner giving Neil Parry no chance and scoring his first goal in senior football

The hosts, now comfortably on top, pushed for a third. Substitute Connor Sammon made his presence known from the bench. From a corner, the ball fell to the Irishman in the box, but Parry saved well from close range.

Not long after, Sammon beat Ross Lyon on the halfway line and broke at pace, eventually squaring it to his strike partner Donnelly, who could only blaze over.

But his efforts were finally rewarded with just minutes left on the clock. Latching on to a long ball in behind the Clyde backline he cooly slotted the ball into the bottom corner for his 15th of the season.

The substitute's finish secured a deserved three points for the men in black and gold, giving them back-to-back league victories.

Next up for Brian Rice's side is a trip up north to face Peterhead, who shipped seven goals to fellow playoff chasers Airdrieonians on Saturday.

Alloa Athletic: Hogarth, Taggart, MacIver (Sammon 66'), Coulson (Scougall 70'), Cawley, Durnan, Robertson, Miller, Stanger, Donnelly (O'Donnell 88'), Doyle