There is something about the favourites tag in the domestic Cup competitions that sits uneasily with Celtic.

Morton, Ross County and Inverness have all brought Celtic down a peg or two in recent seasons. Last night it took a late rally with goals from James Forrest and Moussa Dembele required to puncture the resistance of an Alloa side who gave an admirable account of themselves at Celtic Park.

Inevitably, Brendan Rodgers’ side had a raft of chances but their uncharacteristic profligacy ensured they made heavy weather of this game.

Read more: James Forrest backs Celtic keeper Craig Gordon after reckless challenge against AlloaGlasgow Times:

They prevailed, though, to go into tonight’s draw for the semi-final of the Betfred Cup with Rangers, Morton and either St Johnstone or Aberdeen. After an antsy second period to this tie, Celtic would have taken it.

There were two narratives to this 90 minutes; the undercurrents going on at the back of this Celtic defence and the missed chances going on at the other end.

More interestingly was the story that was played out at the back. Jozo Sinumovic started his first game since the end of January as he paired up with Kolo Toure at the heart of the Celtic defence and it will be worth noting just who lines up against Kilmarnock this Saturday afternoon. It may well be a notable pointer as to who will be favoured ahead of the next UEFA Champions League meeting against Manchester City in Glasgow next Wednesday night.

Read more: James Forrest backs Celtic keeper Craig Gordon after reckless challenge against Alloa

The one position in Brendan Rodgers’ side that is genuinally up for grabs is the goakeeper’s. Dorus de Vries clearly has the faith of his manager but to most observers he has yet to convince between the sticks. Yet, as Craig Gordon was thrown the gloves for this meeting last night, the Scotland internationalist could not press home his case for permanent reinstatement.

The main talking point as the teams headed up the tunnel was not so much about the glut of chances Celtic had conspired to squander but rather the reckless lunge from Gordon outside of his box on Greig Spence. It drew a yellow from whistler Alan Muir but the sanction could and should have been more severe.

The Celtic keeper saved from the subsequent free-kick but if the incident showed anything it is that he is a player whose confidence has been significantly deflated by his recent demotion from first-team duties.

There was much in keeping with the performance against Inverness in the Highlands at the weekend with Celtic dominant but wasteful; Tom Rogic, Forrest and Moussa Dembele all scorned chances to breach Alloa’s backline.

The most impressive opportunity in the opening period came from Kieran Tierney after a dinky little flick from Forrest. The teenager hit the shot from distance on the half volley only to see it crash off the woodwork.

As the game wore on and Alloa stood firm, it was difficult to escape the parallels that ran last week in the Nou Camp with the financial disparity between clubs competing in the same competition.

Read more: James Forrest backs Celtic keeper Craig Gordon after reckless challenge against Alloa

Alloa’s annual wage bill – believed to be around the £100k spot - wouldn’t leave you change from one of the old tenement flats in Dennistoun. Celtic’s £25m bill, offers riches far more substantial. And yet, for large chunks of this game the League One leaders bust a gut to contain Celtic. Not even the most churlish Celtic fan could have begrudged them an acknowledgement of the leviathan effort the part-timers put into the game.

As they headed in still tied at the break there was nothing surprising about Scott Sinclair introduction to the fray then as Celtic sought to inject a clinical note to proceedings. It did not quite materialise.

Even the generally unflappable Tierney was hit with the jitters as he misplaced one pass from the back directly into the path of Kevin Cawley. The nerves were contagious; the ball into box had Toure kneeing it out for a corner and although the set piece came to nothing it served to illustrate how unnecessarily antsy it had become for Celtic.

By the time the game had hit the hour mark without significant penetration, there was a growing frustration in the stands. Rogic went into the book for simulation while Stuart Armstrong came close to finding the net with a bending shot that steered just wide of the target.

Ryan Christie came on as Celtic sacrificed Simunovic and played his part in teeing up Forrest for the goal that finally broke Alloa. Taking the ball on his chest, Christie ushererd the ball out with significant pace to the opposite flank.

Forrest collected and did the rest himself, jinking and weaving past exhausted yellow shirts before slipping his shot low into the net. Within minutes Dembele added a second to give the scoreline a gloss that did not entirely tell the whole story.

For Celtic, though, the domestic season remains rich with possibility.