Falkirk old boys Conor Sammon and Mark Durnan combine to consign Bairns to third defeat on trot

Alloa Athletic forward Conor Sammon might have felt he had a point to prove after being let go by Falkirk in the summer and ending up north of the River Forth at the Indodrill Stadium. If so, it was job done today, September 11, as the 34-year-old’s 63rd-minute header put his new team 2-0 up and consigned his old one to a third defeat in a row.
By Darin Hutson
Published 11th Sep 2021, 17:27 GMT
Updated 13th Sep 2021, 09:06 GMT
Falkirk losing 2-0 to Alloa today at the Indodrill Stadium (Picture: Michael Gillen)Falkirk losing 2-0 to Alloa today at the Indodrill Stadium (Picture: Michael Gillen)
Falkirk losing 2-0 to Alloa today at the Indodrill Stadium (Picture: Michael Gillen)

Fellow home forward Euan Henderson, signed on loan from Heart of Midlothian at the start of the month, had already put the Wasps ahead on the half-hour mark after getting in on goal and poking the ball past visiting goalkeeper Robbie Mutch and Sammon’s goal, from a knock-on by Mark Durnan, also released by the Bairns at the end of last season, following a free-kick, was enough to put the game beyond their old side’s reach, though the hosts had a few further opportunities to add to that scoreline.

They included Alan Trouten heading a rebound from a Mutch save not far wide from six yards out on 23 minutes

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Falkirk were second best to Barry Ferguson’s hosts all round today and rarely troubled David Hutton in the Alloa net but could have got on the scoresheet with a bit more composure in front of the Alloa goal and a more commitment in the middle of the park when out of possession.

Falkirk in action against Alloa this afternoon (Picture: Michael Gillen)Falkirk in action against Alloa this afternoon (Picture: Michael Gillen)
Falkirk in action against Alloa this afternoon (Picture: Michael Gillen)

The pick of their chances were Aidan Nesbitt shooting over the crossbar from just outside the box approaching the quarter-hour mark, a Ben Hall header from a Charlie Telfer free-kick shortly afterwards, a curled Seb Ross shot from distance tipped over the bar by Hutton on 36 minutes, a shot wide by Nesbitt immediately after half-time, a Craig McGuffie header wide of the post on 51 minutes, a Samuel Ompreon effort followed up by a Paul Dixon header cleared off the line four minutes from time and Aidan Keena firing over from about eight yards out just ahead of the final whistle.

Ompreon was brought on for new loan signing Michael Ruth on 56 minutes and Keena, winner of August’s Scottish Professional Football League goal of the month contest for August for his strike against Airdrie, replaced McGuffie 10 minutes later but was unable to supply a repeat of that match-winning moment of magic.

Today’s defeat was Paul Sheerin’s side’s third on the trot following a 1-0 loss at home in the league to Queen’s Park on Saturday, August 28, and a 3-1 away defeat by Kilmarnock in the Scottish Challenge Cup last weekend, so they’ll be hoping to halt that losing streak at home to Dumbarton next Saturday, September 18.

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The Bairns’ last win was a 3-0 home league victory over Clyde back on Saturday, August 21.

Alloa Athletic goalkeeper David Hutton being put to the test (Picture: Michael Gillen)Alloa Athletic goalkeeper David Hutton being put to the test (Picture: Michael Gillen)
Alloa Athletic goalkeeper David Hutton being put to the test (Picture: Michael Gillen)

Teams

Alloa: David Hutton, Jon Robertson, Fernandy Mendy, Mark Durnan, Scott Taggart, Adam King, Mouhamed Niang, Kevin Cawley, Alan Trouten, Steven Boyd, Euan Henderson.

Subs: Daniel Church, Andy Graham, Mark Lamont, Conor Sammon, Cameron O’Donnell, Keir Burt.

Falkirk: Robbie Mutch, Leon McCann, Ben Hall, Gary Miller, Paul Dixon, Steven Hetherington, Aidan Nesbitt, Craig McGuffie, Seb Ross, Michael Ruth, Charlie Telfer.

Subs: Ben Weekes, Ryan Williamson, Paddy Martin, Jaime Wilson, Aidan Keena, Samuel Ompreon, Brad McKay.

Referee: David Dickinson.

Related topics:Conor SammonFalkirkEuan HendersonMark DurnanRiver Forth