Alloa Athletic

SOCCER

Alloa end Raith's promotion hopes to set up final clash with Dumbarton

Alloa booked their place in the Scottish Championship play-off final as they completed their dismantling of Raith's promotion ambitions with a 2-1 second-leg victory.After earning a goalless draw that denied Raith the title and automatic promotion in the final league game, the Wasps won 2-0 in the first leg of their semi-final to inflict more misery on Rovers. Alloa, who finished 15 points behind Raith in the League One table, took full control of the tie thanks to Jordan Kirkpatrick's brilliant free-kick five minutes before the break. Euan Murray's right-footed effort pulled one back for the hosts, but Ross Stewart found the bottom corner nine minutes from time to secure a 4-1 aggregate win for Alloa and set up a final against Dumbarton.

7Y
PA Sport

Alloa Athletic

SOCCER

Alloa beat Raith in play-off first leg

Raith suffered more disappointment at the hands of Alloa after losing 2-0 in their Ladbrokes Championship play-off semi-final first leg. Rovers were pipped to automatic promotion by Ayr on the final day of the League One season, having drawn 0-0 with Alloa, and could not respond against the same opponents following goals from Ross Stewart and Iain Flannigan. Stewart took advantage of a mistake from Graeme Smith to net the opener in the 22nd minute, rolling the ball into the net after the goalkeeper's clearance had cannoned off him, before Flanningan drilled home from 12 yards early in the second half. Things got worse for Alloa when Iain Davidson was sent off for a second yellow card eight minutes from time.

7Y
PA Sport

Alloa Athletic

SOCCER

Alloa Athletic 0-3 Hibernian

Hibernian booked their place in the knockout stages of the Betfred Cup with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Alloa Athletic.A first-half opener from youngster Fraser Murray and a second-half double from Simon Murray ensured the Easter Road outfit progressed as winners in Group D.Manager Neil Lennon also handed debuts to Lithuanian pair Vykintas Slivka and Deivydas Matulevicius as they cruised to victory against their League One hosts.Martin Boyle had already tested home keeper Neil Parry by the time the top-flight visitors made a 15th-minute breakthrough.Boyle was involved again, slipping a pass to Simon Murray and the striker's low centre was fired into the net by his younger namesake, Fraser.Alan Cook came close to an instant equaliser for Alloa but his low drive was deflected inches past the post, and just short of the half-hour mark Jon Robertson's 25-yard effort whistled over.Hibs then settled back into a rhythm and Parry denied Fraser Murray a second five minutes from half-time as the youngster tried to chip him from the left side of the box.The second half began tamely but the visitors were always in command and doubled their lead in the 64th minute.Fraser Murray sparked a quick counter-attack and fed Boyle on his outside. The winger's low cross was bundled in by Simon Murray from close range.The summer signing then added a third 10 minutes from time to make it seven goals in four Betfred Cup games. Boyle swung in a cross from the left and former Dundee United marksman Simon Murray bulleted a header in off the post to round off a pleasing win. ends

8Y
PA Sport

Alloa Athletic

SOCCER

Ross County 2-0 Alloa Athletic

A Marcus Fraser volley sent Premiership side Ross County on their way to a 2-0 victory over League One Alloa Athletic in their Betfred Cup Group D opener.The defender's sweet strike was added to by Craig Curran as the Dingwall team began with a win.The Staggies, who were the 2015 winners of the competition, were killed off by the Wasps a year ago as they finished third in their section behind them and Raith Rovers and that had been in the mind of manager Jim McIntyre this week in the build-up to this tie.The Staggies, boosted by the return of Curran from a head knock, almost nudged in front on 23 minutes when ex-St Mirren defender Sean Kelly, on his competitive debut, swept a free-kick just wide.Alloa keeper Craig McDowall then had to be alert to turn an in-swinging Michael Gardyne corner around his near post before home skipper Andrew Davies headed over from the follow-up set-piece.Athletic were playing neat football, but lacked the cutting edge to really ask questions of their top-flight hosts.The opener arrived on 40 minutes when Fraser crashed an unstoppable volley high into the net when he connected with a Gardyne corner.The clinching second goal came on 69 minutes when Curran pounced to score after McDowall firstly denied him in the box.Sub Adam Martin came closest to getting Alloa on the scoresheet, but the Staggies held firm to earn the win.County head to League One Montrose on Tuesday, while Alloa will look to get points on the board when they host fellow League One opponents Arbroath.ends

8Y
PA Sport

Alloa Athletic

SOCCER

Alloa win penalty shootout to set up play-off final against Brechin

Alloa will play Brechin in the Championship play-off final after beating Airdrie 4-3 on penalties. With the scores level at 1-1 on aggregate after 120 minutes, the game went to a shootout and Calum Waters scored the winning spot-kick following two saves from goalkeeper Neil Parry. Alloa, who suffered a 1-0 loss in the first match on Wednesday, won the second leg 1-0 courtesy of Jon Robertson's stunning strike in the 50th minute. Penalties were almost not required but Alloa midfielder Jordan Kirkpatrick hit the outside of a post with a free-kick in the 112th minute.

8Y
PA Sport

Alloa Athletic

SOCCER

Airdrie take narrow lead into play-off second-leg clash at Alloa

Airdrie take a slender 1-0 lead into the second leg of their play-off clash against Alloa on Saturday.The Diamonds, who finished third in the table, scored the only goal of the game through Andy Ryan in the 52nd minute. The visitors made a bright start and Calum Waters' close-range effort was well saved by Rohan Ferguson in the third minute.Airdrie responded as Ryan robbed defender Graeme Holmes and raced clear only to be thwarted by goalkeeper Neil Parry, who then kept out a fierce volley from Adam Brown shortly afterwards.The home side took the lead early in the second half when Ryan headed home an inviting cross from Ryan Conroy.Brown was denied a second when his thumping effort was pushed away by Parry.

8Y
PA Sport

Alloa Athletic

SOCCER

Stenny escape basement with victory at Queen's Park

Stenhousemuir climbed off the bottom of the Ladbrokes League One table with a 2-0 win at Queen's Park.Oli Shaw struck either side of half-time as Stenhousemuir gave their chances of avoiding the drop a welcome boost.The result sees Queen's Park drop off the pace in the battle for play-off places.Peterhead replace Stenhousemuir at the foot of the table after a 4-1 defeat at Livingston.Liam Buchanan, Scott Pitman and Joshua Mullin effectively settled the contest in the runaway champions' favour before the interval.James Redman grabbed a consolation for the visitors in the second half, but Daniel Mullen grabbed Livingston's fourth nine minutes from time.Andy Ryan scored a hat-trick as Airdrie replaced East Fife in the play-off places.Airdrie ran out 4-0 winners against their promotion rivals thanks to Ryan's treble, while Christopher Kane was sent off for East Fife before Iain Russell scored a fourth.Brechin strengthened their play-off hopes with a 1-0 win over Albion, with Paul McLean scoring the decisive goal after 46 minutes.Kevin Cawley scored a last-minute winner for Alloa against Stranraer in a 1-0 victory.

8Y
PA Sport

Alloa Athletic

SOCCER

Champions Livingston extend winning run to seven by beating Queen's Park

Livingston recorded a comfortable 4-0 victory over Queen's Park at Almondvale Stadium as the Scottish League One champions extended their winning run to seven games.Nikolay Todorov latched on to Danny Mullen's great ball forward to hand the home side their opener, poking it beyond the goalkeeper and into an empty net.Mullen doubled their lead midway through the second half, while provider for the second - Declan Gallagher - claimed another assist as he set up Josh Mullin with 10 minutes remaining and Nicky Cadden completed the scoring at the death.Alloa, who sealed their spot in this season's play-offs with last weekend's 6-1 mauling of Brechin, only needed one goal to claim maximum points from their 1-0 victory over Airdrieonians at Excelsior Stadium.After a goalless first half, the visitors broke the deadlock as Jordan Kirkpatrick picked out the top corner with his 14th goal of the season after 66 minutes.East Fife strengthened their play-off hopes as they moved up three places to third - level on 46 points alongside Brechin, Airdrieonians and Queen's Park - after a narrow 1-0 win over Albion at Cliftonhill.Chris Duggan set up Jason Kerr just after the hour mark and he made no mistake, firing the ball into the bottom-left corner, but Duggan then saw red as he was shown his second yellow card for alleged diving with seven minutes remaining.Oli Shaw's 12th-minute winner kept Stenhousemuir in with a shout of the relegation play-off spot as the basement boys completed a narrow 1-0 home victory over second-bottom Peterhead.Brechin moved into the last play-off spot after they were held to a goalless draw against eighth-placed Stranraer at Glebe Park.

8Y
PA Sport

Alloa Athletic

SOCCER

Alloa secure promotion play-off spot with win over Brechin

Alloa secured themselves a promotion play-off place in Ladbrokes League One with a 6-1 mauling of Brechin as rivals Airdrie suffered a surprise defeat at lowly Stranraer.Greig Spence and Iain Flannigan both scored braces for Alloa with Stefan McCluskey and Jason Marr also on the scoresheet for the Wasps who, having failed to win in their previous three matches, recorded their biggest league victory in five years.Brechin had actually taken a 23rd-minute lead through Andrew Jackson but their hopes all but vanished when goalkeeper Graeme Smith was sent off in the 63rd minute after conceding a penalty, which Spence scored from to make it 4-1.With Airdrie going down 2-1 at Stranraer, Alloa are now certain to finish in second spot after moving 10 points clear of third place with three games left.Strikes from Mark McGuigan and Kyle Turner put Stranraer in charge at Stair Park and Airdrie could only pull one goal back through Andy Ryan with 18 minutes left.Also taking advantage of Airdrie's loss were Queen's Park, who moved up to third on goal difference with a 2-0 home victory over Albion Rovers.Ewan MacPherson opened the scoring in the 41st minute and David Galt added the second just moments into the second half.Champions Livingston recorded an expected victory at Stenhousemuir, although they only managed to beat the league's bottom club by the narrowest of margins.Liam Buchanan, the division's leading scorer, netted the only goal of the game in the 54th minute as Championship-bound Livingston recorded their sixth successive victory.In Saturday's other game, second-bottom Peterhead returned from East Fife with a 2-1 triumph. Craig Reid netted a 55th-minute winner after home defender Jason Kerr had cancelled out James Redman's opener.

8Y
PA Sport

Team	GP	W	D	L	GD	P
Arbroath	34	19	6	9	+19	63
Cove Rangers	34	15	8	11	+16	53
Queen of the South	34	15	6	13	+3	51
Stenhousemuir	34	14	8	12	+4	50
Alloa Athletic	34	12	12	10	+8	48
Montrose	34	9	13	12	-6	40
Kelty Hearts	34	10	10	14	-7	40
Inverness Caledonian Thistle	34	14	10	10	+2	37
Annan Athletic	34	10	6	18	-23	36
Dumbarton	34	7	11	16	-16	17

Goal Difference

3rd

Goals Scored

3rd

Assists

Tied-3rd

Goals Conceded

7th

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Alloa Athletic

Schedule

Dumbarton win play-off first leg against Alloa

Alloa end Raith's promotion hopes to set up final clash with Dumbarton

Alloa beat Raith in play-off first leg

Alloa Athletic 0-3 Hibernian

Ross County 2-0 Alloa Athletic

Alloa win penalty shootout to set up play-off final against Brechin

Airdrie take narrow lead into play-off second-leg clash at Alloa

Stenny escape basement with victory at Queen's Park

Champions Livingston extend winning run to seven by beating Queen's Park

Alloa secure promotion play-off spot with win over Brechin

Luke DonnellyF #9

Luke RankinF #24

Stefan ScougallM #12