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“The Wasps” kicked off the new season with a trip to the Global Energy Stadium, Dingwall to face Ross County, who they had defeated 3-2 last season ending “The Staggies” hold on the trophy as holders. However there was to be no repeat of last season’s victory over Jim McIntyre’s men with the home side being the better team on the day.

The opening goal came five minutes before half-time with a strike from right back Marcus Fraser, a goal out of the blue and a strike noboby could do much about. Alloa started the second half far more brightly but were dealt a huge blow after 60 minutes when centre forward Craig Malcolm, making his competitive debut had to be stretchered from the field.

Ten minutes later the home side scored the decisive second goal after “The Wasps” gave away possession and were punished. Substitute Adam Martin came closest to scoring for Alloa, his goal bound header saved brilliantly by home keeper, Scott Fox.

JIM GOODWIN IN DINGWALL

I can’t argue with the result, so be fair Ross County were the better team on the day, I am disappointed because we didn’t play to the levels we are capable of, I couldn’t fault the players commitment or effort they worked really hard, but it will not be a surprise to anyone to see the result, but the disappointing thing for me was that it was a game if we came up and  done things properly when in possession we could have caused a wee upset, but I give great credit to Ross County they were the better team on the day and that is the bottom line.

Ross County were expected to win but we know teams can cause upsets and when we saw the draw we felt it was a game we could go and frustrate them, we tried to do that with our shape, I thought it worked reasonably well but the two goals we lost were disappointing, there was nothing you could do with the first one we defended the box well and it comes out to Marcus Fraser twenty five yards out and he put it in the top bin and you can’t really defend against that, if he tried it another ten times I doubt if he could again put it where he put it, you just have to hold your hands up but the second one is a bit of slackness, to play a blind pass in our own defensive third, against the quality of players we were playing today, you will get punished and we did. So all round disappointed today but with games coming thick on fast we can turn it around on Tuesday, will go again against Arbroath and hopefully get three points to get us back in the mix.

I was disappointed with the challenge which saw Craig Malcolm having to be stretchered off, I didn’t think it was necessary for the kind of challenge which was put in and “Malky” is a big player for us, so the game it is what it is, it would be hypocritical of me if I came out here and started slagging people off for making tackles but he definitely caught him in clearing his lines the big man Davies, I thought he had a great game he was excellent but I am not quite sure the follow through was necessary. I don’t think it is a break, but more likely ligament damage we will just have to wait and see how severe the ligament damage is but hopefully a couple of weeks and he will be back, hopefully for the start of the league campaign but I don’t think he will make it in the next fortnight.