MARK Docherty believes a trip to Ibrox could provide ALLOA ATHLETIC with the boost they need following the disappointment of their 1-3 derby defeat to FALKIRK.
This latest setback, coming a week after the resignation of boss Barry Smith, means the Wasps have lost three games in a row and are sitting precariously in the relegation play-off place. They face Rangers tomorrow (Tue) and Docherty believes they should take heart from the memory of a league draw in Govan earlier in the season and their remarkable Petrofac Cup win. He said: "It's been a tough week what with the gaffer departing but the show must go on and we know we need to dig in and stick together and try and fight our way out of trouble. "We head to Ibrox in midweek and we know it's going to be tough but there's no way we should be overawed especially as we have already taken a point off them there earlier in the season and beat them here in the Petrofac Cup." Despite a promising start, Alloa fell behind when Luke Leahy drilled home Blair Alston's pass with Falkrk's first serious shot of the match. But the Wasps responded after the break when Kevin Cawley beat Jamie MacDonald with a dipping 25-yard volley. It looked as though the home side might go on to claim a morale-boosting win but instead the Bairns claimed victory with late goals from John Baird and Alex Cooper. The win keeps Falkirk firmly in promotion play-off contention but Peter Houston, the manager, admitted: "We've perhaps been fortunate to win all four games we've played against Alloa this season because they have put a lot into each game and today was no different." Falkirk still trail QUEEN OF THE SOUTH by a point after the Dumfries club secured a 21 win over RAITH ROVERS at Palmerston Park. Gavin Reilly provided the winner after Lewis Vaughan had cancelled out Iain Russell's early opener and James Fowler, the Doonhamers manager, said: "We knew Raith would approach this as a really big game as they needed to win it to get back into the play-off chase. "I am delighted that we have got the win and whilst the performance was not the best it was really important to get the three points and we did that." Rovers are now eleven points adrift of fourth place and manager Grant Murray admitted:"It will be very difficult now to make the play-offs. "Queen's have a decent gap but we will go out and look to win every game that we can. We have a lot of games coming up and we will look to finish the season as high in the table as we can." The battle to come up from League 1 remains as tight as ever after leaders MORTON lost for the second week running, the Greenock side going down 2-1 at AIRDRIEONIANS for whom Bryan Prunty and Nathan Blockley were on target. A promotion play-off place may not be out of the question for the Diamonds but the title seems a realistic ambition for FORFAR ATHLETIC who beat fellow aspirants STRANRAER thanks to Gavin Swankie's goal at Station Park. Stranraer will leapfrog both Morton and Forfar to reclaim pole position if they win their game in hand at STIRLING ALBION tomorrow (Tue) but their hosts may be in good spirits following a 1-1 draw at DUNFERMLINE. AYR UNITED and STENHOUSEMUIR, battling to avoid the relegation play-off, fought out a goal-less draw at Somerset Park while PETERHEAD ended BRECHIN CITY's long unbeaten run with a 3-0 win at Glebe Park. League 2 leaders ALBION ROVERS won by the same margin against MONTROSE to set up Wednesday's clash with fellow title hopefuls ARBROATH who returned to winning ways by beating CLYDE 3-1 at Gayfield. Second placed QUEEN'S PARK needed a last-minute winner from Jordan Moore to see off improving ELGIN CITY 2-1 at Borough Briggs while EAST STIRLINGSHIRE moved into play-off contention with a 2-0 win over EAST FIFE and ANNAN ATHLETIC came from two-down to draw 2-2 at BERWICK RANGERS.
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