Dundee Utd 1 - 1 Alloa Athletic (Alloa win 4-3 on pens)

A mere 1,659 fans were at Tannadice to witness Dundee United losing yet another late goal to leave their Betfred Cup hopes hanging by a mere thread, with manager Csaba Laszlo accepting that it simply isn't good enough.

Alloa's Alan Trouten scores to make it 1-1. Pic: SNS/Ross Parker

The Tangerines are now all but out of the Betfred Cup with only a game to spare and the supporters who did show up were again left to endure another lacklustre afternoon, following last weekend’s home draw with part-time Arbroath which was followed by their midweek defeat at Ross County.

Frederic Frans’ opener was cancelled out by an Alan Trouten penalty kick in a result which keeps the Wasps’ hopes of progress to the last 16 most certainly alive.

Laszlo cut a dejected figure post-match as he ran the rule over another lost opportunity.

“It’s just frustrating for me,” he said. “I completely understand the fans’ frustrations but I also see these guys every day in training and I know there’s more to come from them. We’ve made a lot of changes this summer so I think that may have something to do with it.

“Our performances haven’t been good enough in the League Cup so far. We lost our concentration late on in the match and that goes for the whole team.”

While United did start positively, it was the visitors who had the first goal scoring opportunity when new signing Greig Spence flicked an effort into the side netting.

James Keatings then smacked a free-kick over the bar for United before Nicky Clark hit the woodwork with a header after some good work from Jamie Robson.

The opening goal arrived for the hosts just as the natives were starting to get anxious. Frans, the summer arrival from Partick, had two goes at it. His first header was glanced just wide with the aid of a deflection and then from the resulting corner, he met Fraser Aird’s whipped delivery and bulleted the ball into the net. However, while United had opportunities to extend their lead they failed to do so and paid the price when Frans fouled Jake Hastie inside the box for a penalty kick. Trouten made no mistake from the spot as Alloa forced the match into penalty kicks for the bonus point.

The Wasps were faultless from the penalty spot while Stewart Murdoch and Paul McMullan both missed for United.