For the seventh successive season, Raith Rovers failed to make progress beyond the third round of the Scottish Cup.
On this occasion they were eliminated at home by Second Division Alloa Athletic, a result which leaves them with virtually nothing to play for during the remaining weeks of the season, with virtually everyone at the Kirkcaldy club having accepted the inevitability of relegation even now.
Such sentiments can in no way detract from the performance of the visitors, who took full advantage of the the home side's lack of motivation to engineer a result which keeps alive their interest in the competition.
Raith had a great chance to open the scoring midway through the first half when a low shot from Bruce Raffel struck the post and rebounded into the path of Hamed Sacko, who looked to have a simple chance to score from close range. The Alloa defenders, however, somehow managed to clear the ball to safety and from then on Raith rarely looked like winning the tie.
The Wasps took the lead just before half-time when John Ovenstone rose above the Rovers defence to direct a powerful header beyond keeper Rudy Pounoussamy, and they ensured their place in the fourth round draw with a penalty two minutes from time.
Brown Ferguson was upended in the box by Tony Bartholome, and the Alloa midfielder converted the award himself to ensure victory.