Match report V Glenrothes

Carleton Park is always a difficult place to go to and pick up points and Saturday’s match was no exception.
Both teams were undefeated in the league prior to kick off and an evenly contested match was expected and that was exactly how it played out.
Alloa had got off to the best possible start when Matt Pope made a characteristic burst through the home defence to dot down under the posts with only 10 mins played. However, Pope’s afternoon was soon to turn sour when he had to leave the field of play midway through the first half with a hamstring problem. Up until that point Alloa’s talisman was putting in his usual tireless shift both in attack and defence where he had put in at least 3 try saving tackles.
However, during that period the home side had scored 2 tries and a penalty to lead 17-7 and a further penalty before the break to take their tally to 20, but Fraser Smith and Martin MacKenzie replied in between with 2 converted scores and Alloa turned around in the second half leading by a point.
The second half followed the pattern of the first with both teams giving it their all in an exciting end to end affair and it was Glens who were first to open the scoring following a scintillating Backs move and they quickly added to this with another fine move from the Backs to post an early 32-21 second half lead.
Young Cammy Nimmo reduced the deficit with his second score in two matches and when Martin MacKenzie sniped his way along the blind side of a scrum, Alloa were back in it although the home side had already added a penalty.
With 10 minutes to play and the scoreline 35-33 in the home sides favour we were set up for a tense finish. But the home side cleverly forced the visitors back into their own “22 with some nice kicks which forced Alloa to bravely try to run from deep but they were turned over on a number of occasions and never really looked capable of forcing a win and with the very last play of the game it was the home side who sealed the match with a pushover try much to the delight of their players and supporters.
The Alloa side were disappointed at the end but they gave their all and can count themselves unlucky not to have left with a losing bonus point but there was no denying that the Fife side deserved their victory.
Alloa will be looking to get back into winning ways on Saturday, where they will face last year’s league winners Dundee University Medics. Kick off at Ealrsfield is 3pm.