QUEEN OF THE SOUTH 0

ALLOA ATHLETIC 1

Trouten (58)

Smash-and-grab Alloa took the points to lift themselves off the bottom of the table with the only goal in a game of few chances.

Manager Peter Grant said: “We showed a different type of performance today and a diligence to work hard and get behind the ball and we showed quality at times.

“We defended really well and our keeper didn’t have a save to make. I’m really delighted with the points.”

While the early running had been made by Queens, the first real threat came from Alloa as Robert Thomson beat the defenders to a cross ball but just failed to turn an overhead kick past the keeper.

Alloa began to pull themselves more into the game and Thomson again was their danger man with a drive which just went wide.

Queens best effort at that stage was a run from Stephen Dobbie which was cleared for a corner.

Neither side seemed able to force a real opening until just before the interval when Faissal El Bakhtaoui caught out the Alloa defence with a clever back heel to set up Dobbie but his effort from the edge of the box was just off target.

Queens had to switch their formation just after the break when Dan Pybus limped off to be replaced by Lewis Kidd.

And with it came a chance as the substitute set up El Bakhtaoui on the edge of the six-yard line but he skied his effort well over the top.

Alloa shocked the Dumfries men in 58 minutes when they broke from defence down the left and Alan Trouten met a cross to smash it home from close range.

Queens put in a desperate bid to pull themselves back into the game but nothing seemed to go right for them as Alloa shut up shop and looked dangerous on the break.

Dobbie came close when he warded off three men in the box but Andy Graham blocked his shot which had seemed netbound.

Queens manager Alan Johnston admitted: “I think we really cancelled each other out for most of the match and I’m disappointed that we never really worked their keeper.

“We didn’t handle it well when we lost the goal and I’m really disappointed because we have to win games like that.”