The Blue Toon travelled to Alloa this weekend, looking to repeat the result of three weeks ago at Balmoor when they defeated the wasps 3-1. Peterhead’s last game ended in a 1-1 draw with Montrose, and likewise their hosts came into this game following a 1-1 draw of their own against league leaders Inverness. Alloa have proven to be a tough test for travelling teams this season, with the wasps only tasting defeat twice at home before this one, so Peterhead had their work cut out for them.
With Jason Brown suspended, there were enforced changes to the Peterhead lineup. Adam Carnwath made his first start of 2026 as he returns from injury, and Seb Ross came in from the start in place of Max Barry.
Both sides looked to assert themselves on the game early on, but chances were few and far between in the opening stages. Jack Newman made his first save on 21 minutes, a shot from the edge of the area was easily gathered by the Peterhead stopper. Peterhead then launched a counter-attack, and Seb Ross forced a smart save from Ogayi up the other end. The hosts had the better of the chances for the remainder of the half, and should probably have taken the lead on 26 minutes. Stewart was played in behind the Blue Toon defence and was bearing down on goal, but Newman was quick off his line to close the angle and the Alloa forward prodded his effort wide of the far post.
The hosts then did find themselves in front after 36 minutes. Alloa’s number 9 Donnelly had the ball fortunately drop into his path after a cross was not properly cleared, and the striker took his chance well on the half turn, finding the side netting from just inside the box. Donnelly then came close to a second just minutes later, working himself the space for a free header from a corner but heading just over the bar, much to the relief of his maker.
Half-time: Alloa Athletic 1-0 Peterhead
Peterhead came out flying in the second half and piled the pressure on from the whistle, as they crucially managed to get Cammy Smith more involved in the game. Their first big chance of the second 45 came from a Seb Ross cross which was flashed across goal in the direction of Kieran Shanks, but the Blue Toon striker couldn’t quite stretch his boot onto the ball.
It didn’t take Shanks long to find the net afterwards though. Craig McGuffie slipped Shanks through on 56 minutes, and he showed great composure to take his first touch away from the Alloa defenders, before slotting home across goal into the far corner. A flurry of Peterhead chances followed in the following minutes, first for Adam Carnwath. The right back found himself driving into the Alloa penalty area, and fired a shot towards the far corner that cannoned off the post and was put behind by an Alloa defender. From the resulting corner, Josh Kerr leapt highest to direct a header towards goal, but couldn’t keep it under the bar.
Kieran Shanks then doubled his tally for the afternoon from 12 yards on 60 minutes. Seb Ross beat the onrushing Ogayi to a loose ball over the top, and Ross was wiped out by the Alloa keeper, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot. Shanks stepped up and fired his effort to Ogayi’s right hand side into the side netting, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead. The lead almost didn’t last long however, as just 2 minutes later a wind assisted in-swinging cross from Stewart wrong-footed Newman and came back out off the crossbar.
Alloa persisted in their efforts for an equaliser, but a brave performance from the Blue Toon saw them hold on to all three points. Alloa’s best chance at an equaliser came in stoppage time, as Peterhead failed to properly clear and a shot came in from close range. The effort beat Jack Newman, but Dylan Forrest was in the right place at the right time to hook the ball off the line and to safety.
The away win sees Peterhead move within three points of the final playoff place, and with no game this coming weekend, the Blue Toon will head to Bayview in a fortnight to try and keep themselves in the playoff race.
Full-time: Alloa Athletic 1-2 Peterhead