Alloa Athletic…1

Stranraer…0

ALLOA’S final home league game of the season ended in triumph as a last-gasp Kevin Cawley header saw the Wasps claim three points.

Stranraer will feel aggrieved to have come away with nothing from a game in which they dominated for long spells.

Alloa hit the crossbar twice in the second half but it looked to be heading for a stalemate before Cawley popped up to head home a winner in stoppage time.

The first half chance went the way of the Wasps, Scott Taggart blazing over from the edge of the box after a neat passage of play.

However, Stranraer were enjoying the better of the opening quarter and Michael Donald should have opened the scoring, inexplicably missing the ball when he had the chance to head into an unguarded net.

Scott Agnew then fizzed a shot inches wide as the visitors searched for the goal which would go a long way to soothing their relegation fears.

At the other end, Scott Robertson almost put through his own net, diverting a Scott Taggart cross over the crossbar.

Donald almost made amends for his earlier glaring miss, getting in between the Alloa defence to meet Willie Gibson’s cross, but although his header was directed powerfully downwards, Neil Parry made a fine save before Jason Marr hacked clear.

The game was flowing from end to end but despite that, there was a lack of clear-cut opportunities, both sides being let down by poor decisions and quality in the final third.

Marr was forced to make a good block from Craig Malcolm’s shot, before Steven Bell headed over while unmarked at the back post.

The second half continued in the same vein, and Donald raced clear down the left and tried his luck, but the angle was closing all the time and Parry did well to block the shot at his near post.

Taggart and Jordan Kirkpatrick then linked up well on the edge of the Stranraer box, the latter finding space and getting his shot away, but the PFA Player of the Year nominee failed to test Cameron Belford.

Cawley had a sight of goal when he was first to the ball when it was knocked down from a free kick, but it wouldn’t fall nicely for him and his effort sailed harmlessly high and wide.

Belford had to be on his toes to prevent Greig Spence getting on the end of Stefan McCluskey’s cross, and seconds later was forced into a decent stop after Taggart rifled a low shot towards the bottom corner.

Alloa were beginning to flex their muscles, and Kirkpatrick saw an effort curl not too far wide of the post, before Andy Graham’s late run to meet Calum Waters’ free kick was close to giving the Wasps the lead, only for a Stranraer player to get a crucial touch and send it over the bar.

Graham was then perilously close to scoring at the other end as he stretched to divert Willie Gibson’s cross away from Malcolm.

The hosts were getting closer and closer, and Kirkpatrick went closer than anyone with a thunderous drive which crashed back off the crossbar.

Alloa were really turning the screw and Belford made another terrific save, this time denying McCluskey who had looked certain to score after racing clear.

Jason Marr was next to go close, looping a header over Belford but seeing it bounce agonisingly off the top of the crossbar.

Adam Martin almost found a way through after Kirkpatrick had picked him out with a fine early cross, but the youngster’s efforts were snuffed out by Morgyn Neill.

It looked as though the Wasps would have to settle for a point, but in the third minute of stoppage time, Martin crossed for Cawley, who got in front of his man to head the winner beyond Belford.

The result was harsh on Stranraer, who will feel they deserved at least a point, but Alloa will be delighted with all three points and a victory which sees them continue to build up a head of steam ahead of the playoffs.

Alloa Athletic: Parry, Taggart, Waters, Marr, Graham, Holmes (Robertson), Cawley, McCluskey (Martin), Spence (Hetherington), Kirkpatrick, Longworth. Not used: McDowall, Hynd, Hoggan, Cunningham.