Alloa had Lee Cairney to thank for a last gasp penalty goal to secure victory over
Carnoustie and at the same time keep their unbeaten home record intact.
The Earlsfield side reintroduced Alan Keir to the backline after long term injury
and also had Robbie Hogg make his first team debut in the centre. Robbie started
his rugby with Alloa's mini section some 25 years ago!! So it was a backline full of
pace alongside the usual dynamic back row of Pope, Smith and Taylor and Alloa
were looking to play an expansive game. However heavy underfoot conditions
dictated that the match would be destined to become more of a slog. In the first
half Alloa defended really strongly and kept Carnoustie well away from the danger
zones. Indeed it was the home side who created the best scoring opportunity
when Hogg and Cairney combined to release Alan Keir wide on the left. The Alloa
wing skidded over the try line to avoid the cover tackle however the match official
was undecided and failed to award the try. it was therefore a solitary Lee Cairney
penalty that gave Alloa a 3-0 lead at half time.

Cairney doubled the advantage with a second penalty after the break however
the home side were racking up the penalty count against and Carnoustie were
gradually taking a grip on affairs. Martin McKenzie was sin-binned for a word out
of place as Alloa struggled to cross the half way line. Carnoustie missed two kicks
at goal, one of them clipping the outside of a post, before conjuring up what was
to be the only try of the match. Alloa failed to find touch from a scrambled
clearance and the Carnoustie pack set up camp on the Alloa line, eventually
forcing their way over. The conversion was missed however eventually the
Carnoustie goal-kicker found his mark from a penalty that took his side 8-6 clear
with time running out. Alloa secured the kick off and sent a searching kick behind
the Carnoustie defence. Brilliant follow up tackling won Alloa a penalty with barely
five minutes left on the clock. Lee Cairney calmly slotted a difficult kick in tricky
underfoot conditions. Alloa played the remainder of the match in the Carnoustie
twenty two however there was a sense of relief when the referee blew for full
time.

On a day when it was a case of digging in, especially in the forward exchanges,
the Alloa man of the match award deservedly went to debutant hooker, Jack
Birnie.

Alloa now have a three week break while Scotland contest the Autumn series of
Internationals and resume in St Andrews against Madras on the 27th of
November.