Wasps stung by Greenock

Greenock Morton have come out winners in their first league game of the season, defeating Alloa Athletic 1-0 in a game also marked by Greenock captain Jim McAllister making his 350^th appearance for the club.

From the start Greenock took control and were adamant in getting ahead early. After only five minutes midfielder Josh McPake let fly from 25 yards but his effort went just wide of the Alloa goal.

Not long after Greenock had a stone-wall penalty turned down after Alloa defender Lee Connolly came across heavy handed in a tackle on Greenock forward Markus Fjortoft.

The referee was forced to confront Greenock manager Peter Grant for the verbal lambasting of his decision on the penalty appeal. and gave Grant a yellow card for his actions.

The first goal of the game came on the ten-minute marker after some fine play from Greenock who created through McPake a wonderful opening chance for Cameron Salkeld to coolly slot the ball below Alloa’s outcoming goalkeeper.

McPake, on loan from Glasgow Rangers, was certainly being creative and after some industrious play over the course of the next 20 minutes had fallen short of adding to Morton’s lead a number of times. A long range shot went just over the bar and also a set-up for Kalvin Orsi who had a great chance but shot just wide of the nets after 33 minutes.

Alloa were not without pith and just before the turn of the half they had a great opportunity when Lee Connolly fired a curling shot just wide.

After a red card for each side the game closed out with a 1-0 victory for Greenock

Into the second half and on the 55^th minute Greenock had another chance to make it 2-0 when a curling Robbie Muirhead corner was met by the incoming Brian McLean who headed it just a fraction over the bar.

In a short space of time Alloa’s hopes were dealt a blow when a red card was presented to Steven Hetherington who was shown a second yellow for pulling down McPake on the 30-yard mark.

Despite playing just ten men the Greenock side struggled to get past Alloa’s strong defensive effort.

On the 62nd minute Kyle Jacobs went close after latching onto a corner from Aidan Nesbitt with his head only to head the ball just over the bar. At 73 minutes Morton came close to getting a penalty after McPake appeared to be fully pulled by Alloa defender Scott Taggart inside the box. Again though, the referee turned a blind eye.

In an incredible turn of events it was McPake who received his second yellow card for simulation. It was ten on ten for the final 15 minutes.

The Wasps nearly got the equalizer through Alan Trouten who struck the crossbar with a strong header after some fine midfield play. Alloa were showing more lust for the ball and with a balanced field it was they who started testing the strength of the home defence.

The golden chance came for the Wasps on the 80^th minute when Liam Buchanan missed a header by inches from only a couple of yards out where any connection at all would have seen Alloa gain the equalizing goal.

It was right at the death when Trouten would fire the last remaining hope for the Wasps over the bar from a free-kick just outside the box. In the end a solid display of defending was shown by Morton.

Both sides now head toward their next league games but both will be without players after Alloa’s Hetherington and Greenock’s McPake will face a one-game ban following the red cards.