Competition: Championship Playoff

Alloa Athletic v Brechin City

Alloa Athletic reached the First Division Play off Final against Dunfermline Athletic after their 4-3 aggregate victory over Brechin City. The Wasps lead 2-0 from the 1st leg at Glebe Park, but an early goal by Andy Jackson got Brechin City back in the tie, Kevin Cawley’s 14th goal of the season levelled the scores on the day. Scottish Cup Final referee Willie Collum, then awarded a penalty to Brechin when Jonathan Tiffoney was adjudged to have blocked a shot with his arm, Alan Trouten dispatched the spot kick. back came “The Wasps” in a game they started to control. Calum Elliot was fouled in the box by Ewan Moyes and the ex Hearts striker slotted away the spot kick with great confidence. In the closing stages Alloa should have taken the lead but bad luck in front of goal saw the Brechin goal lead a charmed life, with Kevin Cawley’s effort come back out from hitting the inside of the the post. Well into stopage time Andy Jackson did bundle the ball over the line but Alloa and their fans knew they had reached the final after Calum Elliot stroked home the penalty kick.

PAUL HARTLEY AFTER PLAYOFF SECOND LEG

Quite an eventful game, a bit of a roller coaster, thankfully we have a chance to progress into the First Division.  It was a great game, from end to end there were incidents and goals and it was good for the spectators but not good for my heart!  The Brechin City players celebrated their goal close to our dug out and I celebrated our goal which I am entitled to do and then things spilled over a little bit – they thought I was a little bit disrespectful but I thought it was disrespectful of them in the first instance – I think you should be allowed to celebrate a goal but that is the way it goes – there was nothing really in it. After we were sent to the stand it made it difficult as it is hard to get your instructions across to the players when you are up there – it is much easier down there but that’s the way it goes sometimes.  I am delighted for the players because they have worked so hard throughout the season and we have given ourselves a great chance.,  We will hopefully give Dunfermline Athletic a right game – I think on our day we can beat anyone – we anticipate there will be a big crowd here on Wednesday night but we will go into the game and we will have a go in both games we will not sit back and we will try and play as best as we can – I have a good group of players in there , I think we know what is in front of us two games to try and get us into the First Division which would be a magnificent achievement for a club like this. I think we are all looking forward to it – it’s preparation now for the guys – they have to prepare properly, be professional and show that they are ready for Wednesday night.  It’s a great thing for the players and spectators to see the excitement here today and obviously the same at East End Park.  I think we are crying out for something in Scottish Football to make the end of the season a bit more exciting – down in England where you see the play offs it’s a full house.  I am hoping to be back on the touch line on Wednesday and looking forward to it – it will be a cracking game, Dunfermline Athletic have got some good young players but on the day we think we are a match for anyone – we will try and play in the proper way and the proper manner and we will go out to have a right go at them.  We know Dunfermline will bring a big support so it will be good for our players to have that and hopefully our home fans will turn out and support us if it is as good a game as it was today I think the fans are in for a real treat over the next couple of games – that’s what you play football for – games like this, the excitement and to try and get to the next level.
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Brechin City v Alloa Athletic

Wasps take two nil lead into 2nd Leg of First Division Play Off Semi-Final after fine 2-0 victory at Glebe Park this evening

PAUL HARTLEY AT GLEBE PARK

I thought the team were absolutely fantastic tonight, we dominated the game. It’s a great result for us away from home and we know we have a strong squad. This is a terrific first leg result for us but the tie isn’t dead. It is only half time, we have seen how football matches can change and we know it will be another tough game on Saturday. We will stay aware of their threat for Saturday. We know they will play better on Saturday but we must go into the game with confidence. We approach the game like it is 0-0 again, it’s only half time. We have seen it happen before when a team has come back from this kind of margin so we will have to be aware of that and give Brechin the utmost respect and not get carried away. The players have been great tonight with this performance and no matter what happens at the weekend, they have been brilliant all season. I have a great bunch of boys here with a great work ethic. We played some lovely football at times and cut them open on a number of occasions and we could’ve scored more goals. We never panicked when Jason Marr went off injured the guys just slotted in with meggatt at centre back and docherty to left back and that shows what a strong squad we have and bringing Darren on just helped us to control things and see out the game. We can all talk about tactics but at the end of the day it comes down to players. If you have good players then you have a chance. Every game we line up and try to win it. We go to attack teams, we have a good belief about us and we try to play in the proper manner.
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Alloa Athletic v Cowdenbeath

Saturday’s Play off Semi Final 2nd Leg was just a step too far as the team struggled to maintain their unbeaten run against Cowdenbeath this season. Even prior to the kick off Allan Maitland was dealt a blow as Declan McAvoy was injured in the warm up and had to be withdrawn, then ten minutes into the came, Andy Scott who had scored a double last Saturday in the 3-1 victory over Cowdenbeath had to be replaced. In front of the biggest crowd this season at Recreation Park – 1,234 the team were desperate to win but in the end were found to be running empty. In the first half Alloa had the best opportunities but credit to Cowdenbeath who in the second half stepped up a gear and scored the crucial first goal and deservedly won after Paul McQuade clinched the game with eight minutes left. Although disappointed that the club missed out on promotion, this has been a great season for the club and a year of great progression on and off the park, disappointed yes, despondent not and we will look to build on this season’s displays and look to strengthen in the summer.

 

allan maitland congratulates cowdenbeath

First and foremost it is only fitting to congratulate Cowdenbeath who were excellent today, they played really well – I thought in the first half they passed the ball well but we had the best chances. Unfortunately, David Hay had a great save in that spell from Bryan Prunty and we missed a couple of chances. In the second half I thought they were the better side and deserved to win it. At the end of the game I was listing the players who were not available today, Mark Gilhaney, Stuart Noble, Scot Buist, Tony Stevenson, Declan McAvoy who was injured in the warm up, Dougie Wilson and Brown Ferguson. I then had Andy Scott being injured after only ten minutes and Bryan Prunty having to leave the game with knocks, along with David McClune & Gary Carroll who were injured but still on the park. In fairness to the players they have been magnificent this year – our season ended today, if it wasn’t today it would have ended Wednesday or Sunday but you cannot go with that list of players out and expect to win the play offs. I have nothing but admiration for the team and wish Cowdenbeath every success – I hope they go on and manage to win the Play Off final now, we have come on leaps and strides this year and what we will try and do is build on that for next year. I have nothing but pride for all the players who have been involved at this club this season, but by the end of this game it was boys against men and unfortunately for us the men were just that bit stronger that us. We will just utilise that and make ourselves stronger and better for next year, I think in fairness if we look at our team we would openly admit we are nowhere near ready to go and compete in the First Division and we will look to address it during the summer and look to go and win it next year – and get ourselves over that finishing line and be better prepared for it. The main thing today is to concentrate on Cowdenbeath and well done to them.
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Cowdenbeath v Alloa Athletic

Alloa lost a last minute goal against Cowdenbeath in the First Division Play Off Semi Final tonight at Central Park, although the goal was credited to John Dempster, who had just came on the field of play as last minute substitute, David McClune actuallu scored an own goal, heading the ball past David Crawford under pressure from Dempster. However this was a creditable result for “The Wasps” who once again were without seven first team regulars. David Gormley had put the visitors ahead but there were not many clear cut chances in the game, although Cowdenbeath did have the better of the second half, neither keeper was called to make any serious saves. The second leg will take place at Recreation Park, Alloa on Saturday 8th May, kick-off 3.00pm

 

allan maitland after playoff semi 1st leg

This seems to be a season littered with last minute goals – Whether its Stirling Albion’s last minute goal here last week to snatch a draw, Cowdenbeath’s goal tonight or our last minute goal when we beat them in the Scottish Cup , there has been a lot of late goals this season, but tonight for my point of view on the back of the disappointment of not having won promotion as champions I thought we were excellent tonight, we had seven players out through injury and I thought our attitude was great, we controlled long spells of the game without making too much of a threat, Cowdenbeath might have felt we might be feeling sorry for ourselves but there was no sign of that, we were first to the ball, aggressive in the middle of the park, got the ball to the front two who were really good tonight, David Gormley scored a great goal and as the game went on I thought we maybe didn’t create chances when we had the opportunity, we defended resolutely our two centre backs were top drawer tonight. There might of being a worry going into this game we might not be up for the game but from the first minute to the last we were up for it, even to the extent we scored both goals in the game – David McClune got in front of John Dempster to score an own goal but Dempster’s presence caused the goal, before “mini” dived in to header it in to his own net. So we live to fight another day, we have been to Central Park on four occasions this season and drawn every game, while we have met at Recreation Park and we have won three, so we hope that form continues on Saturday in the second leg of this tie. Cowdenbeath have been excellent all season and had a strong side on the park this evening so every credit to them. Saturday will be our eighth game against Cowdenbeath this season and we will look forward to that and hopefully progress into next weeks final.
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