For this Premier Sports Cup group game both Alloa and Montrose were re-building their squads. Montrose had young Aaron Clark in goal with a back line of Freeman (no Williamson on the night), Quinn, Waddell and captain Steeves. Midfield had Masson, Shrive and Brown and up top Loudon, Wighton and Lyons.

The rain had stopped as referee George Calder got it underway with neither side starting in an obvious attacking role. The first chance came when Loudon crossed from the left but it went across the 6 yard box with no takers. On 5 minutes Alloa almost got on the end of a long through ball but young keeper Clark got to it first in a one-on-one situation and pushed it for a corner which was cleared. Lyons came in from the left and won a corner for Montrose but it was Alloa who opened the scoring on 20 minutes as a free kick 25 yards was hit hard into the net by Cameron O’Donnell to make it 1-0.

Kerr Waddell was yellow carded on 40 minutes for a foul but Montrose were not a threat up front though had two shots just before the break, but both were blocked.

The second half started with Montrose needing to have more threat up front and the equaliser came on 57 minutes as Freeman won a free kick wide right. Brown took it and Kerr Waddell headed it firmly into the net from 8 yards. It didn’t stay that way for long however as Alloa scored their second goal on 61 minutes as Montrose failed to clear and Kurtis Roberts found the corner from 15 yards to make it 2-1.

Changes were made by the Mo with Ross Clark and Graham Webster coming on for Lyons and Shrive. Alloa made a change as well with Sammon on for Rankin. Alloa were content to sit on the lead and play long balls and Montrose held the ball well at the back but that left all Alloa players to defend well with Lyons off the field now.

On 75 minutes Loudon came off as well with Machado coming on while Bertie replaced Waddell with Steves moving to centre back. Alloa were not an attacking threat, so Bruin replaced Buchannan as Montrose tried hard in the last 10 minutes. A good cross from the right went across goal but nobody else was there to take the chance at it went begging before Machado got there.

Into the last few minutes, Waters was yellow carded, and Mullen replaced Roberts for Alloa as the last bit of action saw a corner to Montrose which came to nothing.

So Alloa got the points to keep their chances afloat in the group, but Montrose deserved more for their efforts, just lacking a clinical cutting edge in the final third on the night.

Report by Steve DoylePost match reaction https://youtu.be/zHM4WjEZPW8