Dumbarton1–1Alloa Athletic

Stevie Farrell was left rueing missed chances, as Alloa held Sons at the Rock.


After Josh Gentles had cancelled out Jinky Hilton's second minute opener, Sons passed up a host of opportunities to secure a first win of the year - including a gilt-edged final minute Joel Mumbongo chance.


And the boss admitted that he was frustrated to only take a point.


He said: “It’s disappointing because we had the better chances in both the first-half and second-half.


“I thought that we played well in the first-half, we limited Alloa to very little and looked a real threat on the counter, I thought we probably made the wrong decision on a number of overload chances that we’ve had.


“We came out in the second-half and lost a really poor goal. We’ve tried to nick possession and they’ve ended up with an overload. But apart from that, Paddy has made a great save after they jumped on a mistake, whilst we’ve tested their keeper again and again. The boys were excellent.”


Boss Farrell stuck with the same side that had lost against Queen of the South a week earlier, whilst the fit again David Wilson returned to the bench.


With the pitch once showing all the scars of winter, Sons got off to a dream start as they raced into the lead with less than two minutes on the clock.


Jinky Hilton picked up possession on the edge of the box and went for goal, arrowing a low effort beyond PJ Morrison and into the bottom corner before some in the home end had even taken their seat.


Alloa looked to hit back but Sons keeper Paddy O’Neil comfortably pushed away a Cammy O’Donnell free-kick.


It could've been 2-0 soon after as Hilton nicked possession back in midfield and played in Craig McGuffie, who danced beyond a challenge and found Kalvin Orsi - but his low drive was deflected inches wide of the far post.


A carbon copy move then saw Orsi again go for the same corner from the edge of the box, with ex-Son Morgyn Neill getting enough on the ball to deflect it wide with Morrison at full stretch.


As the half wore on Andy Graham's visitors started to find a foothold in the game, and were looking a major threat with their clever short corners which caught Sons napping a few times - albeit without O’Neil being called into any serious form of action.


In fact it was from an Alloa corner that Sons came close to adding a second, as Carlo Pignatiello led a rapid counter attack - but his final ball was cut out with Kalvin Orsi in acres of space at the far post.


After looking comfortable with their lead for most of the first 45, Sons then found themselves pegged back five minutes into the second-half.


Referee Duncan Williams restarted play following a short delay after a Wasps fan had thrown a flare onto the pitch, with the visitors quickly shifting the ball from right to left. Luke Donnelly took a perfect touch and played in Scott Taggart, and the ex Son drilled across goal for Josh Gentles to touch into the net.


That gave the away side a huge boost, as they started to dictate the play - but struggled to create clearcut chances, with Paddy O’Neil beating away a Cammy O’Donnell effort at his near post in one of the few clearcut openings.


Sons were then grateful to O’Neil as he raced from his line to block after Conor Sammon had pounced on a slack Mark Durnan touch to burst in one-on-one.


The introduction of Michael Ruth with 20 minutes remaining injected fresh life into Sons, as they began to show a threat once again.


A slick move opened up space for Sena Niang on the edge of the area, and the former Wasp saw his snap-shot pushed to safety by Morrison.


On his first home appearance for three months, the talismanic forward almost had an instant impact - picking up a ball inside the area before being denied by a sharp PJ Morrison stop.


Ruth then reminded Sons’ fans exactly what they had been missing as he chased a lost cause, robbed Charlie Dewar of possession and raced clear - squaring for striker-partner Joel Mumbongo, but he was denied a first Dumbarton goal but the outstretched leg of Morrison.


And there was still time for one final chance.


Dumbarton continued to pile bodies forward with Craig McGuffie’s cross perfect for sub Mumbongo, but he got his header from six yards all wrong as Sons were forced to settle for a point.