allan maitland after clyde game

I thought it was a good game and Clyde played really well with a professional performance, for our point of view we showed a lot more commitment and application but lacked that bit of quality in the last third of the park. Jamie did have a couple of half chances but it was a good game, Clyde were the better team and won. Great effort by ourselves but just not good enough. I thought the second goal was a cheap goal to loose because we had a free kick at the other end of the park we made nothing of it, they quickly got a free kick, played a great ball into the box and well attacked, we just didn’t do the same with ours. Maybe we tired in the second half but I thought it was a good competitive game and it was probably the right result.

“The Wasps” edged their way into the second round of this season’s Co-operative Insurance Cup after Robbie Williamson’s Third Divison side Elgin City had competed for long spells in the game. Alloa still seemed to be suffering from their opening day defeat in the league at Arbroath, but as always the opening goal was always going to be crucial. Indeed Francis Kelly was unfortunate not to give Alloa the lead in the opening minutes after his 25 yard strike rebounded off the cross bar. Elgin City gave a good account of themselves but found Raymond Jellema in good form when called upon. Substitute Andy Scott broke the deadlock in 71 minutes after being set up by Kyle MacAulay. Alloa we relieved to get in front and thereafter settled and started to play football. Francis Kelly scored Alloa’s second goal his first goal for the first team. Alloa now progress to the second round of the tournament with the 2nd round ties due to be played on Tuesday 26th August, 2008.

allan maitland after elgin city

I think tonight’s game is indicative of a team that got beat 4-1 on Saturday and it took us probably 65 minutes before we even started playing football, it looked as though we had a hangover from Saturday – hopefully we got that out of our system in the last 25 minutes when we actually started passing the ball and looking a bit better. I think great credit has to go to Elgin City who came here and played better than us for long spells especially in the first half and were a bit unlucky not to be ahead at half time.  We are relieved to be through and delighted to be through and so far this season we are a good cup team and poor league team, although we will look to change that on Saturday as I said it was a decent exercise and we are relieved to be through.

robbie williamson – elgin city

Obviously disappointed to get knocked out but I though we competed very well for long parts of the game, when they brought the subs on and it changed the shape of the game a bit and the boy Stevenson caused us a lot of problems up front. I thought we battled and made a good game of it – we tried to get the ball down like Alloa and tried to play football. Unfortunately, we just can’t seem to get a goal at the moment, their keeper had a couple of good saves, especially the one just before half time but credit to Alloa they upped it after they went in front with 20 minutes to go and in the end were deserved winners.

Alloa manager Allan Maitland tried to play down his side’s victory over First Division side Dundee in this season’s Challenge Cup. The Wasps deservedly winning the game 2-1 with, two headers from captain Chris Townsley and Jamie Stevenson who has returned to the club on loan from Greenock Morton and was instrumental in both goals. Dundee had their chances but found the Alloa defence in top form, Raymond Jellema once again showing the reason why he is so important to the team and the fact he could play at a higher level. In the Second round of the tournament Alloa Athletic have been drawn at home against Clyde, the tie is likely to be played on Tuesday 12th August, 2008.

allan maitland after dundee challenge cup victory

Interesting game, I thought it was a game we were fortunate to win, Dundee played really well, in long spells, especially in the first half, during that time what I was saying to the players is it was really important for us to give ourselves a chance by defending properly but what I did not expect was to see players defending at the top of their game so early in the season, getting to half time level was a great boost for us. We had some near scares Iain Campbell blocking one on the line, Raymond Jellema making two great saves and in the second half you could count four of five occasions where we threw bodies to block efforts and that gives you a chance. We were decent at set pieces and that was to prove the difference in the game, for the first goal Jamie threw over a great ball into the box and Chris Townsley finished it and after that we looked a lot happier, we were getting plenty of touches on the ball and Dundee had to chase the game and threw bodies forward and at that stage I thought we might score a second goal. Delighted we did obviously, and we needed the second goal to win the game, due to a wee slip at the end which takes the shine of it. On a different day Dundee could easily have won it , for us we are under no illusions, this is a boost for us, it was a cup tie, which means we already have shown progress, cause we played three cup ties last season and lost the three of them, so that is an improvement. Loads of really good performances for us, especially in the back line where goalkeeper and back four were immense, and it was good to see Jamie return to the club with a goal, I’ve no complaints about anything. I think Dundee will consider themselves slightly unfortunate and I think that’s fair but for our point of view it has been a great day. I t gets us ready for the beginning of the league campaign and I’m sure next week at Arbroath it will be a completely different game from today.

alex rae – dundee manager