Alloa Athletic defeat Celtic B in nine-goal KDM Evolution Trophy tie

Andy Graham said that he's sure the TV cameras will return to the Recs after they were treated to an incredible nine-goal thriller on Saturday.

Birthday boy Kurtis Roberts was Alloa's hero in their KDM Evolution Trophy clash with Celtic 'B', netting the decisive goal from close range three minutes from time.

That completed a stirring Wasps fightback from 4-2 down, in a game that saw them fall behind before turning it around to lead 2-1 early in the second period.

It was a first win in the revamped Challenge Cup competition for Graham's side, following previous defeats to St Mirren 'B' and Stranraer, in a game that was beamed live by Premier Sports.

"I'm sure Premier Sports will be back after that," he said post-match.

"That was certainly entertaining for, not just the neutral, I think everybody that was here at the game would've enjoyed it.

"There was nine goals, could've probably been more than that, and I think that was just the way that the game was panning out.

"Celtic have got really good technical quality, and their players, that's why they're at Celtic.

"They've got a lot of them that have been out on decent loan deals, and some that are out at Ayr United at the moment.

Andy Graham saw his side claim a thrilling win by the odd-goal-in-nine on Saturday. (Image: Andrew Milligan / PA Wire.) "You've got players that have played in the first team as well, so it was always going to be a really entertaining game, and I think our boys, second half, showed real character, grit, determination - everything you associate with that group of players, or I certainly do.

"Even at 4-2, I still felt that if we got the next goal, we would actually go on and have a chance to win the game, and that's exactly how it proved.

"I'm really, really pleased from that perspective because, at 4-2 down against a team that can keep the ball as well as they do, it's quite easy to let the heads go down and almost accept defeat, but we didn't."

In what turned out to be incredible afternoon's entertainment, Kalvin Orsi had an early effort cleared off the Celtic line, whilst Tochukwu Ogayi in Alloa's goal denied Ben Summers and Kyle Ure.

The away side grabbed the lead in the 33rd minute, when Ure curled into the net from outside the box, but the Wasps struck back seven minutes later when Owen Foster's fine low drive found the net.

Graham, fielding himself in the team, claimed an assist early in the second half, flicking the ball on for Orsi to net from close range after a long throw into the Hoops box caused problems, only for Jude Bonnar to rifle home a quick-fire leveller from Ronan Ferns' cross into the penalty area.

That was the first of three goals inside just four minutes for the young Celts, as Sean McArdle, having been allowed to advance to the edge of the box unchallenged, and then Summers, both sent strikes flying beyond Ogayi.

The flood of goals continued as, on the hour mark, just three minutes after Celtic's fourth, Steven Buchanan calmly slotted home first time at the back post after a defender's attempted header clear fell kindly for him.

It was game on and, eight minutes later, the Wasps equalised when Conor Sammon stroked home after Luke Donnelly's effort had been palmed out by Hoops keeper, Aidan Rice.

Then, with three minutes left, Alloa scored a dramatic winner when Sammon, initially denied by Rice, headed the loose ball across the six-yard area for Roberts to tap home.

"I'm really pleased for Kurtis, scoring on his birthday, which is good for him, but overall, I thought second half we really stepped up physically and started to really show what we're all about," Graham continued.

"We played the ball in behind at times, and we tried to get Steven Buchanan and Kalvin Orsi higher up the pitch, along with Sammo, going and giving us a focal point to play off of.

"I'm pleased to win the game. Ultimately, that was the most important thing."

The match, however, did come at some cost for the Wasps, with Foster having to go off with an injury inside the final quarter of an hour.

"It's not ideal and it just seems as if it's all one area of the pitch at the moment that we're getting knocks niggles defensively," Graham added,

"But one person's misfortune is another person's opportunity.

"Leo's (Easdon) come in today and showed us what he's all about. We've got Cammy O'Donnell filling in at left back at the moment but, in the next two to three weeks, we'll have a lot of bodies back.

"We'll have Charlie Dewar back this week, he's obviously playing for Dundee United B in this competition, so come Saturday I'm sure we'll have a back four out there that's more than capable of going and winning any game in League One."