Third Division: Alloa surge nine points clear

ALLOA stretched their advantage at the top to nine points on a weekend when none of their four nearest challengers registered a victory.

The leaders eked out a hard-fought 2-1 away to Annan and, with just nine games remaining, are now hot favourites to win the title and automatic promotion. Darren Young opened the scoring with a fine strike from 25 yards after seven minutes, only for Sean O’Connor to head the hosts level before half-time. Stevie May struck the winner from close range with 13 minutes left.

Annan remain outside the play-off zone, although they didn’t lose too much ground as second-placed Queen’s Park drew 1-1 away to fourth-place Elgin. David Niven opened the scoring for the hosts before Michael Daly equalised. Elgin had the chance to win it when they were awarded a penalty after Jason Crooks had been pushed over in the box. Before the spot-kick could be taken visiting goalkeeper Neil Parry was booked for dissent, however Mark Nicolson’s effort was beaten away by Parry, only for referee Gary Hilland to order a re-take as he felt the goalkeeper had moved. Parry was dismissed before it could be taken as he stated his displeasure with that decision and so under-19 goalkeeper Blair Lochhead entered the fray to emerge as the Queen’s hero, as his first act in senior football was to block the second penalty, which was taken by Crooks.

Third-place Stranraer lost 3-1 at home to Berwick Rangers with Fraser McLaren and John Ferguson scoring in the second-half after home striker Stuart McColm had cancelled out Stuart Noble’s opener in the first-half.

Second-bottom Montrose closed the gap on third-bottom Clyde to a point with a 2-1 win at Broadwood courtesy of strikes from Dougie Cameron and Martin Boyle either side of a Sean Crighton own goal.

Bottom side East Stirlingshire beat Peterhead 6-3 in an incredible game at Ochilview. Graham Sharp put the visitors in front but Shire led 5-1 by half time, with Michael Hunter, Rhys Devlin, Alex Lurinsky, Scott Maxwell and Andy Stirling all netting. Callum MacDonald and Roy McBain reduced the deficit to 5-3 before Maxwell was sent off, but the Blue Toon’s hopes disappeared when MacDonald was dismissed and Stirling scored a sixth.