United feel the sting as Wasps win on pens
dundee united 1 Smith (15) alloa athletic 1 Trouten (pen, 78)
Alloa win 5-4 on penalties
The empty stands made for a flat atmosphere.
But there was plenty of fizz on the park as Alloa dumped Dundee United out of the Irn-bru Cup.
The Wasps, who were behind for much of the game, eventually won through after a tense penalty shootout – and their travelling support absolutely lapped it up. But the sub-1000 turnout in the home end suggested the result won’t be long mourned in the City of Discovery.
Now in their third season in the Championship, United, who made 11 changes for Alloa’s visit, have only one goal – promotion.
The Wasps, however, looked delighted to take the Tangerines’ scalp in a competition they must believe they can win.
Despite the positive result, gaffer Jim Goodwin was a post-match no-show.
But United reserve team coach Craig Easton, who was in charge of the Tangerines for the day, fronted up over his inexperienced young side’s pain.
He said: “It’s disappointing after holding the lead for so long. But Alloa are a good team, and I felt we dealt with them well.
“It was always going to be tough but I felt we were always going to cause them problems.
“If we’d been a wee bit more clinical in the final third we might have extended our lead before it came to penalties.
“Their goalie has made some great saves.
“If you look at the one he’s pulled out from Paul Mcmullan, Fraser Fyvie’s late on, Archie Thomas, there were a couple.
“We had a few nervous moments early on. But when we settled into the game we matched them and we played some good stuff ourselves.”
United claimed an early lead, but it was Alloa that started better.
Connor Shields fired wide inside the first 20 seconds as the Wasps embarked on a five-minute assault on the hosts’ goal.
The Tangerines struggled to get going, allowing Reis Peggie to go close from a narrow angle before Greig Spence hit the
side netting with an overhead kick. Then came the sucker punch. United, having struggled to find their feet, claimed the lead on 15 minutes when Matty Smith fired home from close range after Alloa failed to clear their lines.
It was a sore one for the visitors – but they didn’t crumble.
Spence had the ball in the net on 23 minutes, beating United keeper Benjamin Siegrist to a cross ball, but the assistant ref’s flag spoiled the travelling fans’ party.
Jim Goodwin’s side, with five changes of
their own to contend with, were playing some decent football. But United almost added a second when Smith broke, running clean through on goal, only to shoot too close to Alloa stopper Neil Parry.
Parry was the Wasps’ saviour again before the break, leaping to tip a goal-bound Mcmullan free kick over the bar.
United began to look increasingly comfortable into the second half, with Archie Thomas testing Parry again with a long-range rasper.
Tannadice captain Fraser Fyvie then entered the fray for his first appearance since December 23.
But the Tangerines failed to learn their lesson after referee Greg Aitken waved away a Zannatta penalty claim on the hour mark.
Instead, 17 minutes later, the Alloa wide man was dumped onto his backside again in the box – this time by Luc Bollan – and whistler Greg Aitken pointed to the spot.
Alan Trouten, on as a sub, lashed home the spot kick. Mcmullan was played in on goal by Thomas, but a terrible first touch sent the ball out for a goal kick.
Then Fyvie stung Parry’s palms with a dipping, curling, 30-yard freekick at the death.
After proving inseparable over 90 minutes, the teams traded pens, each player hitting the net except United’s Thomas, whose effort was stopped by Parry.