Queens? run of six games unbeaten came to a resounding end with a 2-0 defeat to Alloa at the Indodrill Stadium.

With Harkins out the squad and David Norman returning to Canada, alongside Dobbie and Brownlie who are injured, it was another makeshift Queens team. Although to be fair, 9 of the 11 players had started in the 1-1 draw with Ross County just two weeks ago, Owen Bell and Andy Stirling being the only players who never started.

Bell?s introduction from the start meant Mikey Doyle started on the right-wing, with Josh Todd partnering Lyndon Dykes up-front.

The opening 45, while goalless, were certainly not short of chances. Indeed, after just three minutes Alloa?s set-piece maestro Iain Flannigan had a shot from 25 yards that deflected off Callum Fordyce and flew whiskers by the post. 

Lyndon Dykes had the away sides first shot of the game after four minutes, his low effort gobbled up by the impressive Neil Parry. 

Parry denies Dykes

Just six minutes later a dangerous Alloa free-kick was met by Hearts loanee Dario Zanatta, who?s header struck the bar.

A minute later, a neat one-two from Scott Mercer and Kyle Jacobs allowed the former to cut-back to Todd, who?s effort went wide of the Alloa goal.

Alan Trouten then had an effort just six-yards from the goal, and somehow he skied it, with only Martin to beat.

Chances were aplenty for both sides, and if it wasn?t for Martin or Parry the scoreline could?ve easily been as big as when the sides met in October; 3-3 at Palmerston.

Todd struck a thunderous volley from 25-yards out, which Parry, to the amazement of the crowd, managed to get his fingertips to, nudging it wide.

Jake Hastie was the next to try his luck. After finding himself in space in the box, he struck a powerful effort from 15-yards out, that Alan Martin done well to get down to.

Dykes then found himself with half-a-yard in the six-yard box, but his effort from a tight angle was saved by Parry. From the resulting corner, Semple?s powerful header was acrobatically tipped over the bar by Parry, who was having a blinder.

Parry denies Semple

Half Time - Alloa 0-0 QoS

A half which was very much won by the respective keepers. Parry had more to do, but it was a relatively even first period.

The second-half got underway in quieter fashion. Both sides were desperate not to concede the opening goal, leading to a cagey affair.

Speedster Hastie had the ball in the net on 58 minutes, but the lineswoman flagged for offside.

However, just five minutes later, Alloa got their goal. After Jacobs fouled on the edge of the box, Flannigan stepped up in what was the perfect position for a free-kick. Flannigan went the power route, smashing in at Martin?s near post. 

Martin cannot get to his far post and the free kick opens the scoring 

Alloa began pressing hard for a second, but Queens held firm. Zanatta went down the area after a challenge from Calum Semple. And while there was contact, it looked like Zanatta had went into Semple and went down, rather than Semple taking Zanatta down.

Connor Murray came on for Owen Bell, who had a fairly good game in his first league start of the season, but Murray being more offensive, was able to push the team forward. 

The final 20 minutes were very much all Queens. Dykes had the Doonhamers best chance, squandering a 1-on-1 opportunity to get the teams back on level terms.

And while Queens continued to pepper the Alloa box with crosses, there was to be no joy. An Alloa counter attack led to a dangerous shot from Burt, which Martin did well to save, before Zanatta was first to react to put the ball in the empty net.

Zanatta does well to slip the ball under Martin finish the game

Fordyce almost scored a consolation for the visitors, but his header from three-yards out came straight off Parry.

Full Time - Alloa 2-0 QoS

A disappointing defeat, that leaves Queens just three points away from the play-offs at the halfway stage.

A huge game next week see?s second-placed Ayr visit Palmerston. They?ll want to forget their last visit, in which they got well and truly Dobbie?d. Here?s hoping for a similar result