Alloa put themselves firmly on course for back-to-back promotions with a crushing 3-0 win over Dunfermline in the first leg of their Scottish First Division play-off final.
First half goals from Jonathan Tiffoney and Calum Elliot, and a last-minute strike by Kevin Moon left the Pars with a mountain to climb to avoid dropping into the Second Division for the first time in 27 years.
Alloa sent out an early warning of their intent when Ryan McCord's shot clipped the bar, and the hosts went ahead on 27 minutes when Tiffoney took advantage of static defending to fire past Michal Hrivnak from a tight angle.
Hrivnak then got behind another long-range effort from McCord, but the Pars goalkeeper was beaten again seconds before the interval when Elliot's delightful chipped finish nestled in the back of the net.
Hrivnak atoned with an excellent save from Kevin Cawley moments after the restart, and a Stephen Simmons effort narrowly cleared the crossbar as Alloa continued to press forward.
Alloa were awarded a penalty two minutes from time when John Potter was adjudged to have obstructed Elliot, whose spot-kick was then tipped wide by Hrivnak.
But the home side struck again in the second minute of added time as Moon cut in from the left and fired across the hapless Hrivnak and into the bottom corner.
Dunfermline have their work cut out to overturn the deficit in the return leg at East End Park on Sunday, although they did hit back from 3-1 down to beat Forfar in the semi-finals after a 6-1 win in the second leg.
