Dunfermline's Lewis McCann hits SPFL Trust Trophy winner against Alloa

DUNFERMLINE are through to the semi-finals of the SPFL Trust Trophy with victory over League One Alloa Athletic.

Lewis McCann's well-taken first half goal proved the difference between the teams, handing James McPake's men a last four clash at home to Livingston, who defeated Greenock Morton.

The margin of victory should have been far greater, with numerous chances created and squandered, whilst substitute, Josh Cooper, struck the upright with a free-kick, and Dapo Mebude saw a deflected effort hit the bar.

"I think, if the stats are right, we had 21 attempts, and a lot of them clear-cut as well," Pars boss James McPake said.

"So, pleasing with the fact that we're back to, taking away the Partick game, Saturday we made a lot of clear-cut chances as well or, as I said on Saturday, it was hard to be critical of the players, because they were in the right areas.

"But, we had real clear-cut chances tonight and that game should have been put to bed a lot earlier."

There were three changes to the Pars side which lost at Queen's Park in Saturday's Championship encounter.

Tommy Fogarty, David Wotherspoon and Craig Clay all dropped to the bench, with Chris Hamilton, Joe Chalmers, and their goalscorer in that 2-1 reverse, Matty Todd, coming in.

The hosts were quickly on the offensive, with Chalmers having a shot from range deflected behind, before Kyle Benedictus headed the resultant corner taken by Todd over the bar.

Todd, so often the difference maker for Athletic, came close to breaking the deadlock when he side-footed Kieran Ngwenya's low centre towards goal, but Wasps keeper, Tochukwu Ogayi, did well to block.

Kieran Ngwenya has a shot for the Pars. (Image: Craig Brown.) Ngwenya then had an opportunity of his own, sending the ball wide from Dapo Mebude's centre after patient play by the Pars, who then saw Kane Ritchie-Hosler skim the top of the bar with a cross.

Ngwenya then saw a shot blocked, before Hamilton sent the follow-up well wide, with McCann then also being denied by the Alloa defence.

Aaron Comrie then headed wide, and Ogayi denied McCann, before Dunfermline's pressure finally told in the 37th minute.

Ngwenya provided the assist, sending a pass forward which caught the visiting defence - pleading for offside, to no avail - out.

McCann didn't hesitate to drive into the box, where he provided a cool, confident finish to give the hosts a deserved lead.

Lewis McCann scores the game's only goal. (Image: Craig Brown.)Mebude fired over just after the restart as Dunfermline searched for a second, but the Wasps then showed some signs of life at the other end.

Scott Taggart, who had a header easily saved by Tobi Oluwayemi in the first half, went for goal but flashed his shot over, but play was soon back in visiting territory.

Mebude showed good feet to dance inside the box, before his shot was blocked, before Todd drew a save from Ogayi from 18 yards out.

Former Scotland under-21 man Mebude then saw a deflected shot hit the top of the bar, before Comrie diverted the corner back towards where it came from after finding himself free six yards out, and Ngwenya soon afterwards fired an ambitious attempt from distance over.

Luke Rankin did well to fashion a shooting opportunity for Alloa, but sent it straight at Tobi Oluwayemi, before a mistake by the visitors presented McCann with the chance to run in on goal, but he sent his attempt wide of the far post.

There was an even clear sight of goal moments later for substitute, Josh Cooper, who found himself in acres of space, in the middle of the box, from Ritchie-Hosler's cross, but sent his header wide of the post.

Cooper was then unlucky not to score when he took a free-kick awarded for a foul at the edge of the box, curling it against the upright, and, as the clock ticked towards the final five minutes, Alloa had skipper Taggart to thank for denying Ngwenya.

Another man off the Pars bench, Taylor Sutherland, was then played through by Comrie, but could only shoot straight at Ogayi, but the hosts had done enough to reach the last four.

When asked whether he'd have wanted his team to remove any doubt over the result towards the end of the game, McPake added: "Yes, I think particularly when the chances are so clear-cut, then, come the end, they throw everything at it.

"It's a quarter-final of the cup. They're a team that are flying in their league as well, scoring a lot of goals, so, they'd have been confident of getting a chance anyway.

"We stood strong, so credit to the players for that. In the end, the job was done, but it should have been a lot more comfortable."

Pars: Oluwayemi, Comrie, Ngwenya, Benedictus, Hamilton, Otoo, Ritchie-Hosler (Fisher 79), Chalmers, Todd (Cooper 67), McCann (Sutherland 79), Mebude (Wighton 67).

Subs not used: Fogarty, Wotherspoon, Clay, Young, Mehmet.

Goal: McCann (37).

Alloa Athletic: Ogayi, Taggart, McKay, Neill, Thomson, Virtanen (Hetherington 62), Scougall, Buchanan (Cawley 62), Donnelly, O'Donnell (Honeyman 77), Rankin (Sammon 77).

Subs not used: Graham, Nevans, Watkins.

Booked: McKay (25), Scougall (30), O'Donnell (41) Referee: Duncan Williams.

Attendance: 1,400 (132 away).