Sluggish Morton pay the ultimate penalty

ALLOA ATHLETIC jumped out of the relegation play-off spot last night with their first away win of the season thanks to their victory at Cappielow.

Two penalties from Alan Trouten and former Morton midfielder Iain Flannigan secured all three points for the Wasps as Jonatan Johansson’s side fell out of the top four.

Bob McHugh thought he had scored his fourth goal in three games when he knocked the ball over the line after 28 minutes, but it was disallowed for a foul on goalkeeper Neil Parry in the build-up.

Jim McAlister should have scored seven minutes later. Defender Gregor Buchanan made a brilliant run through the middle of the park before playing the veteran midfielder through on goal with a perfectly waited pass, but he was denied by a strong save from Parry.

Less than 10 minutes into the second half, Kevin Cawley broke forward and cut inside to get his shot away, but a deflection took it just wide of the top corner.

The visitors kept up the pressure and broke the deadlock on 73 minutes when Dario Zanatta charged into the box from the left wing and was brought down by Buchanan at the byeline.

Regular penalty-taker Trouten sent Derek Gaston the wrong way as he placed the ball into the bottom corner.

It was a second controversial spot-kick which sealed all three points for the Wasps. Reghan Tumilty looked like he’d pulled substitute Jake Hastie to the ground just outside the box, but referee Colin Steven pointed to the spot. Flannigan stepped up and powered the ball past Gaston.

‘From where I was stood it looked well outside the box,’ said Johansson. ‘The referee thought it looked inside but he has to be sure it was inside! But it was sloppy, lazy defending.

‘We never got going in possession we looked nervous and the passing was very poor.’

‘Psychologically for us it can be very positive and have a negative impact for Partick but it’s early days,’ said Alloa boss Jim Goodwin.