Alloa Athletic 2, Airdrieonians 3
ALLOA slipped to the relegation play-off spot after conceding a late winner against Airdrieonians.
The Wasps went 2-0 down through two stunning strikes from Lewis Gibson and ex-Alloa loanee Josh Gentles.
Matty Aitken grabbed his first goal for the club to half the deficit on the stroke of half time.
And Scott Taggart scored from the spot to pull the Wasps back into the game after a dominant second half.
But, disaster struck as Gentles flicked in a winner at the death to undo the hosts' hard work and send Alloa to ninth place, level with Cove Rangers at the bottom on goal difference.
Manager Andy Graham said: “Football is a really cruel game at times. I’ll go right there and say the players gave everything they have today.
“From our perspective, the boys gave all they had.
“There’s plenty players giving everything they’ve got.
“It shows you what the group of players can achieve when they go and show that side of it."
Alloa were bolstered by the return of Rangers loanees Max Cameron and Kyle Glasgow, who started on the wings.
In midfield, Stefan Scougall returned from injury, as did David Devine at centre half. Lawton Green continued his run in goals, owing to Ross Stewart's suspension.
Airdrie had the first opportunity as Connor Smith's corner was headed over by Kian Taylor.
Max Cameron was a livewire on the left and picked out Scougall in the centre, whose effort was wide of the mark.
Aitken found himself through on goal but the flag was raised, before Green saved a shot from Gavin Gallagher.
The visitors struck first as Lewis Gibson cut inside and rifled a shot from range into the top corner on the 21st minute.
Airdrie kept their pressure up and came close to a second as Gavin Gallagher's effort was sent narrowly wide of the post after he was teed up by Gentles.
But, just 10 minutes after the first, Airdrie doubled their lead as ex-Wasp Josh Gentles fired home following a stramash which saw Green make two brilliant point-blank saves.
Graham said: “They got a hammer blow when Lewis Gibson goes and puts one in the top corner early in the game.
“I thought we started the game brightly especially when the boys have been on the run that they’ve been on, you lose that goal and then you lose a goal from a set play.
“The boys are claiming there’s a clear block in there to go 2-0."
Minutes before half time, the Wasps found a way back in. Glasgow's shot from range forced Airdrie goalkeeper Kieran Wright into a save, which he spilled in front of the on-running Aitken, who chipped past the stopper to cut the deficit.
The goal came at a timely moment for Alloa, who carried momentum from it into the second half.
The Wasps came out of the interval fired up and began to push Airdrie deep into their own half.
They should have had their equaliser on the 51st minute as Aitken broke Airdrie's lines and went through one-on-one with Wright. However, the striker took short dribbles forward and went down as he felt contact with the defender. The referee saw nothing in it and did not award a penalty.
Glasgow went into the referee's book for a high challenge on Dylan MacDonald, while Declan Gallagher also received a yellow for dissent.
The Wasps had their breakthrough as Glasgow played the ball forward for Joe McGrath to chase down. Wright flew out of his goal and cleaned the midfielder out to give away a penalty to Alloa, which Scott Taggart converted, with 15 minutes remaining.
Graham said: “What they gave after is real character.
The second half was as good as we’ve been in a long time – we were on the front foot, really aggressive and, without playing incredible football, what we showed was passion, determination and grit to haul themselves back into the game.
“They deserved to get back into the game and you felt like we were the team that was going to go on and win it."
Cameron had a brilliant effort cleared off the line by Craig Ross with five minutes left.
But, it was Airdrie who grabbed the winner - Robbie Mahon's cross was flicked goalward by Gentles, with one minute to spare.
Graham said: “It’s a real sucker punch for the players and I’m gutted for them more than anything. I spoke before the game about performance levels and the hard work, determination and grit and I thought we had that in abundance in the second half.
“It’s such fine lines in football. Max Cameron has a shot cleared off the line for us to go 3-2 and they go up and win the game.
“It can be a real cruel game at times."
The Wasps boss praised his side's second half performance, insisting that results will come if they maintained those levels each week.
He added: "The job now is to go and pick them up ahead of next week.
“They’re giving everything – I look at David Devine, desperate to play. Stefan Scougall, he’s hobbling, we have to take him off.
“The guys are wanting to go out there and perform and I appreciate that. It’s a real sore one.
“One thing that doesn’t hurt is the performance. The players gave everything they had today and it wasn’t to be.”
The result sees Alloa slip to ninth in the table - only sitting above Cove Rangers on goal difference.
The Wasps travel to K Park next Saturday to take on East Kilbride, who sit third following their 2-1 win over Queen of the South.
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