27th February 2018

Alloa take the 3 points in last night’s Development League East encounter.

Monday, February 26th, 2018
SPFL Development League East
ALLOA ATHLETIC 4 BERWICK RANGERS 2

Berwick Rangers Under 20s conceded three goals at set pieces but that is only part of the story as they struggled to match a lively Alloa team whose orthodox wingers Brandon Fallon and Mark Greene caused plenty of trouble.

Rangers, in all white, opened strongly but then lost two goals in the space of two minutes. In the 10th, they gave away possession. Fallon played the ball through to John Cunningham who confidently dispatched it into the net through the legs of keeper MacAulay Jarrett. Ross Aitchison’s yellow card foul on Greene led to a free kick which Scott Sinclair sent over Berwick heads for the second goal.

Berwick’s Gary Windram fired over the bar after taking a short pass from Grant Rose but Berwick had better luck in the 19th minute when Rose supplied Aaron Murrell for a convincing finish. Just as it seemed the visitors were back in it, they lost another goal from a dead ball situation when Sam Fisher ran unchallenged to head in Sinclair’s 21st minute corner.

An Alloa player goes high on Grant Rose.

Jarrett punched away Greene’s shot after he sped down the left. A trialist defender then rescued the keeper after he was unable to gather the ball when going to ground for it as Cunningham bore down on goal.

Berwick had the better of the final 15 minutes of the half. Home goalie Christopher Wylie got a hand to Murrell’s header off a fine cross from Aitchison but was still grateful that a teammate was there to prevent an an own goal.

The opening stages of the second period showed how well organised the Wasps were in defence, quick and feisty in the tackle all the while looking to release their fast men going forward. They extended their lead on the hour, Fisher again capitalising on a corner, taken by Greene, with a glancing header into the Berwick net.

Paul Simpson jinked past a couple of men before ending up on the plastic just outside the penalty area. Jamie Chapman curled the free kick through a gap in Alloa’s defensive line up as a trialist sub ran into the space to claim Rangers’ second goal. They had ten minutes left in which to claw back another couple. They came closest when captain Jordan Orru finished a forceful run with a ball forward to the unmarked Murrell but his header was wide.

Berwick Rangers: Jarrett, Aitchison ( C.Trialist 46 ), Orru, Murray ( Chapman 63 ), Fleming, A. Trialist, Jack ( D.Trialist 71 ), Simpson ( Dolan 81 ), Rose, Murrell, Windram( B.Trialist 63 )
Unused sub: Heath

Match report courtesy Berwick Rangers Supporters Trust.
Pictures courtesy of David Glencross.
Match footage available courtesy of Alloa Athletic YouTube here.

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