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COVE RANGERS 1–1 ALLOA ATHLETIC

Despite taking the lead in first half stoppage time, and dominating for large parts of the game, we had to settle for a draw as Alloa bounced back after the interval.

O’Donnell’s own goal put us in front, but MacKenzie levelled, and although we played some attractive football, and created some openings, the players could not find the killer pass or the clinical touch in front of goal that might have secured the win.

With Mitch Megginson free from suspension, the striker returned to the starting line-up in place of Myles Gaffney, making his 200^th appearance in all competitions since we joined the SPFL in 2019.

It meant that for the first time since the end of August, Paul Hartley had a full strength squad to choose from.

It was a positive start by the boys, pushing Alloa back, and our first opening came in the third minute. Megginson was fouled thirty-five yards out, and when Fraser Fyvie swung in the free-kick Mitch got there first, but his looping header flew wide.

Adam Emslie threatened for the first time soon after, his low delivery deflecting off Buchanan for a corner. Morrison clawed Fyvie’s delivery away, and when the ball was recycled, Megginson had an opening, but shot straight at the keeper.

Soon after, Mitch and Fyvie were involved in a sweeping move, Emslie picked up and fed a pass infield for Blair Yule to lay it off, but Mikey Doyle’s angled shot was off target.

Ryan Harrington had a thirty-yarder comfortably saved and Emslie flashed in a cross which Morrison held before Alloa gave us a first scare of the afternoon. Gentles found space on the left and his cross rebounded off the face of the crossbar before running to safety.

Harrington from the left and Dylan Lobban from the right each sent in inviting deliveries, but failed to find a team-mate, then after a short corner, Fraser Fyvie rolled a pass into the path of Yule whose well-struck effort curled just beyond the left post.

We kept up the pressure, Megginson only just failing to connect with an Adam Emslie cross, then after a scramble in the Alloa penalty area Harrington delivered for Fyvie to cushion a header goalwards, but it lacked power, and Morrison gathered by the post.

Another Emslie run and cross caused alarm for the away defence, but Lobban was unable to get a decisive touch at the back upright.

We finally made the breakthrough in first half stoppage time.

Mitch Megginson and Fraser Fyvie again combined to good effect, the captain rolling a pass wide for Ryan Harrington. The full-back flashed in a dangerous cross and Cameron O’DONNELL threw out his foot in a bid to clear, but succeeded only in diverting the ball beyond his own keeper.

It was a deserved lead after a largely dominant first forty-five minutes.

We resumed on the offensive after the restart, Lobban’s cross from the right just evading both Megginson and Emslie, but Alloa edged back into the contest, and from a counter-attack, O’Donnell brought a fine save out of Nick Suman, the big Aussie tipping over his dipping drive.

The visitors drew level on the hour mark when they profited from a break of the ball and Magnus MacKENZIE ran on to the ball to shoot low. Suman got a touch but could not prevent his effort from rolling into the net.

We came close to restoring our advantage with a quarter of the game remaining, Fraser Fyvie and Adam Emslie combining initially, before finding Lobban who slid a clever pass into the box. Emslie raced clear and shot, but Morrison was quickly off his line to make the save.

Declan Glass came on for Arron Darge and made an immediate impact, seeing his long-range shot charged down then curling in an inswinging delivery which Will Gillingham got a touch to, but could not divert past the keeper.

In a rare foray forward, Roberts’ thirty yard strike deflected just wide for Alloa, but we were soon back on the front foot, and Emslie’s searching cross was cut out with Megginson lurking.

We came agonisingly close with just two minutes left. After an impressive move, Glass fed the ball into the area for Yule, who crossed first time. Connor Scully, just on as a substitute, was inches from making contact with the goal gaping.

Declan played another dangerous ball into the box in our next attack, but it just wouldn’t sit for Scully after his first touch. We kept pressing, Emslie forcing a corner deep into stoppage time, and when the cross came in, Dewar came close to scoring another own goal, his header scraping the post as it bounced wide.

The draw means we now go to the penultimate game, at home to Kelty Hearts next Saturday, still waiting to confirm our playoff place.

COVE RANGERS (4-2-3-1): Suman; Doyle, Gillingham, Parker, Harrington; Darge (Glass 78), Yule; Lobban (Scully 86), Fyvie (c) (Marshall 90), Emslie; Megginson,

Substitutes: Demus, Murray, McGrath, Coulson, Gaffney

Goalscorers: O’Donnell (og 45)

Booked:

ALLOA ATHLETIC (3-4-1-2): Morrison; Taggart (c), Neill, Dewar; Buchanan (Sammon75), Roberts, Scougall, MacKenzie; O’Donnell; Donnelly (Virtanen 90), Gentles

Substitutes: Ogayi, Honeyman, McKay, Thomson, Mullen, Devine, Rankin

Goalscorers: MacKenzie (65)

Booked: Scougall (86), O’Donnell (90)

Referee: Colin Steven

Attendance: 484

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