Loons look for answers as points slip away

FORFAR ATHLETIC 0 ALLOA ATHLETIC 2

Forfar went down again on Saturday, not with a bang, but barely a whimper as another toothless display cost them the League One points against Alloa.

The Loons remain off bottom spot thanks to a late collapse by Queen’s Park, but the pressures of sitting at the wrong end of the table are getting to Jim Weir’s team.

The manager was bitterly disappointed with his side’s second half showing in particular and bemoaned the fact Forfar have quickly undone the mini-revival they enjoyed after his appointment.

“I felt good at half-time – I thought we deserved to be ahead on the balance of chances and the efforts we had. At least we made the goalkeeper work.

“The second half, I sat there and said whoever scored first was going to win the game.

“But as a group of players at the moment – and we are all involved in that, including me and the coaching staff – we have got to get it right and there are too many errors.”

Weir was pleased with the contribution of new signing, ex-Scotland, Cardiff and Inverness midfielder, Kevin McNaughton but agreed it was not a long-term solution to their problems.

“”He agreed to help us out and I didn’t expect him to get 90 minutes but he did fine. It gave us a bit of dig and composure.”

It was a Chris Renton double that gave Alloa the points after a poor first half saw both sides struggle to put together any sustained periods of possession.

Kevin Cawley forced a fingertip save from keeper Mark McCallum and McNaughton pressed hard to carve out a chance for Matt Aitken but he blasted against the keeper.

In the 39th minute Forfar’s Dylan Easton smashed a free-kick off the junction of post and bar.

Alloa made the breakthrough 21 minutes after the interval, Renton converting from close range.

The Wasps wrapped things up with four minutes to go when Renton glanced home a header from six yards after a corner.

● Former Forfar captain Simon Mensing, 35, has been freed by mutual consent having made 11 appearances for the club.