Reaction

The Wasps and the Doonhamers have both yet to pick up Championship wins and both sit on just a point after their opening fixtures.

Alloa heavily rotated against Stenhousemuir and returned to the same XI that drew 3-3 with Dundee with one change, Neil Parry, ruled out from injury since the third game of the season against Edinburgh City, returned between the sticks.

The game started at a slow pace with both sides sizing each other up. Liam Dick made an especially noteworthy block as Queen of the South lobbed over Taggart at CB and the left back vitally recovered to block Aidan Fitzpatrick’s effort. The next massive talking point was what looked like a Queen of the South penalty. Connor Shields’ blocked cross found its way to Maxwell who headed into Parry’s hands but fractionally late Andy Graham put his head into the left back’s cheek. The captain was on the floor and instantly the surrounding players signalled to the bench. After a stoppage and heavy strapping applied to Graham, the game continued. Alloa carved open a chance in the box. Kevin Cawley running into trouble cut back to Robert Thomson. He cut inside his man to open up the opportunity for the left footed drive but his shot tamely found its way into Leighfield’s waiting arms. On 34 minutes Alloa carved open Queen of the South. Maxwell was again floored by the quick feet and strong running of Thomson and his cutback to Alan Trouten was lifted over the bar by the midfield hitman. A disappointed Adam Brown who was himself unmarked summed up the magnitude of the missed opportunity with his outstretched arms.

Minutes later Alloa would be punished for their profligacy. Queen of the South who left their men forward from a corner, quickly taking a throw-in and freeing up the space in behind Liam Dick, floated a cross into the centre. Gregor Buchanan jumped early, and with the aid of his hands holding down Andy Graham, stayed up to nod the effort into the net. The appeals to referee Beaton were bizarrely shrugged off on the basis of the earlier penalty shout for Queen of the South and the captain was left to rue having not gone down under the Queen’s centre back’s challenge.

Alloa had not got going in the pedestrian first half and after the break they were instantly sucker punched. Aidan Fitzpatrick spinning away from Raymond Grant, stumbling after another couple steps after a slight contact won an incredibly soft free kick. Up stepped Joe McKee, who dispatched it perfectly to find the corner of Neil Parry’s net and double the misery of the Wasps.

Despite Alloa’s careful probing Queen of the South contentedly sat back and hit on the counter. They would carve Alloa open with another two or three gilt-edged opportunities. Alloa should have had a penalty late on as Trouten was irreventially hauled to the floor but a serious lack of chances created will worry the Wasps’ who now sit bottom ahead of their double header with Heart of Midlothian in the following week.