St Mirren B impressed as they defeated Alloa Athletic 3-2 on matchday two in the KDM Evolution Trust Trophy.
Goals from Evan Mooney and Fraser Taylor, who both netted away to Dumbarton two weeks ago, saw the Young Saints in control at the Indodrill Stadium. But a crazy finish saw Alloa score twice in stoppage time to level the game and look like stealing a point. The drama wouldn't end there with Jalmaro Calvin going on to score the winner for the Buddies on 93 minutes.
A tough task saw the young Saints take on the League One league leaders away from home. But from the start the Buddies looked bright with Oisin Smyth inches away from opening the scoring on 6 minutes when he reversed an effort just wide of the left-hand post.
A nice bit of play on 15 minutes culminated Lewis Hodgkiss side-footing into the arms of Alloa goalkeeper Tochukwu Ogayi from the edge of the area, while Evan Mooney drilled wide of the far post two minutes later.
Veteran striker Conor Sammon passed up a big opportunity for Alloa on 23 minutes when he brought the ball down on his chest in the area, but lashed over. Moments later, Taylor knocked a low effort just wide from 20 yards for the young Saints.
The Buddies broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time when Mooney scored a fine finish. The 17-year-old fired high into the roof of the net from 15 yards in the final seconds of the first 45 to score his second goal in this KDM Evolution Trust Trophy campaign.
The young Saints doubled their advantage six minutes after the restart when Taylor sent a nice low strike beyond the Alloa goalkeeper from inside the area.
Fraser Taylor after scoring our second against Alloa. The midfielder has scored in both KDM Evolution Trust Trophy matches this season.
Saints looked comfortable in their lead and had opportunities to extend it with Mooney heading into the arms of Ogayi just before the hour mark while Hodgkiss saw his effort deflected over a minute later.
Alloa never really looked much like threatening, though Saints stopper Grant Tamosevicius got down well on 63 minutes to push away a low effort from Luke Rankin.
Substitute Theo McCormick had a big opportunity to add a third on 83 minutes when he got himself on the end of a lovely low cross from Callum Penman on the right. But the forward's effort was blocked at close range by Wasps goalkeeper Ogayi.
The hosts pulled a goal back as the game headed into stoppage time with Lewis Bruin scoring a stunning effort into the top corner of the net. It looked like it would be nothing more than a consolation, but within a minute the Wasps would draw themselves level when substitute Luke Rankin scored from close range.
Disappointment at being pegged back would soon turn to elation with Saints going straight up the park and winning the game with the final kick of the ball. Thomas Falconer's low cross found Jamaican forward Calvin at the back post and he tucked into the net to secure victory and three points for the Buddies.
Jalmaro Calvin celebrates goal against Alloa.
Up next for the Young Saints is a trip to Annan Athletic on Saturday 6th September for matchday three.
Full-Time: Alloa Athletic 2-3 St Mirren B
St Mirren: Tamosevicius, Penman, Falconer, Hutchison, McEvoy, Clark (Stoddart 79), Smyth, Hodgkiss (Douglas 68), Mooney (McCormick 79), Taylor (c), Calvin
Subs Not Used: Innes, Lavery, Barr, Farquhar, Thompson, O'Brien
Alloa Athletic: Ogayi, Easdon, McKay, Graham, Hannah (Roddie 80), Watkins, Bruin, Mullen, O'Donnell, Donnelly, Sammon (Rankin 46)
Subs Not Used: Parry, Kavanagh, Kilday, McCurdy
