Competition: Championship

Rangers v Alloa Athletic

Barry Smith’s Alloa Athletic side recorded one of the club’s most historic results on Saturday at Ibrox, coming from behind to secure a well earned draw, the first time “The Wasps” had scored at Ibrox since Willie Crilley had scored on 26th February, 1921. Liam Buchanan scoring six minutes after the home side had taken the lead, Alloa Athletic showed great quality and determination to score a goal of their own, following a great move Kevin Cawley’s shot was parried by Rangers keeper Steve Simonsen and Liam Buchanan was alert to score his 7th goal in the last 8 matches for “The Wasps” slamming the ball high into the net.

Rangers had opportunities in the first half with Craig McDowall saving well from Kris Boyd & Lewis MacLeod, who had been allowed to play for the home side having been called up to Scotland International squad earlier in the week.

Alloa played their own part in the game with Daryll Meggatt, Michael Doyle & Kevin Cawley having efforts saved. The result was no less than “The Wasps” deserved on a day the Alloa players and fans will never forget.

 

barry smith after draw at ibrox
I am proud of the players, to go 1 – 0 down at Ibrox and respond the way they did in their work ethic throughout the game, that’s us played three games in a week and for a part time club that can take its toll, but today, to a man, I thought they were excellent. I think credit should be given to the players for the way they went about their business limiting Rangers to very few chances which were on target and actually creating their own chances and playing some good football as well but we will not get carried away because it’s a great point coming to Ibrox but we now have to look to the Falkirk game it’s as simple as that.

I think we should focus on how good Alloa were in the game, for as much as people will talk about how Rangers played, I am not interested in how Rangers played but how Alloa Athletic played, and I think all the credit should go for the way we came here and defended resolutely but also when we had the chance to play, we played. The goal summed that up, and I just keep telling Liam to keep doing what he is doing, by putting the ball in the back of the net, he works hard and deserves the goals that he is scoring because of his work rate. Our hard work has been behind our best results this season, these boys never know when to give in, they give everything they have got and we have a wee bit of quality in there as well which can win games or get results, but their hard work is second to none. I think a lot of credit should go to our players they played some very good football and the goal was a good goal, we kept the ball and they work hard to be able to show they can play that football, so the work rate comes first then we know given the chance we will keep the ball and play and create opportunities. It was good to get a quick reply after Rangers had went in the lead, but I know my players will never give in and they never let their heads go down and sometimes teams go to Ibrox and loose a goal and it becomes three or four but we always knew we were in that game and to score so soon after Rangers had taken the lead was pleasing to me. The semi final match is still a few weeks away and we will concentrate on that  nearer the time when it comes around, our next important game is against Falkirk next week.
1 - 1
Full Time

Alloa Athletic v Livingston

Alloa Athletic collected three vital league points on Saturday after defeating Livingston 1-0 in miserable conditions, every player played their part, especially in the second half, apart from Liam Buchanan scoring his fifth goal in the past six games, “The Wasps” had three other chances cleared off the line.

Liam Buchanan’s goal in the 48th minute secured a vital three points for the home side, lifting them up to seventh position in the Scottish Professional Football League Championship. Michael Doyle played to Kevin Cawley on the edge of box who turned and supplied Liam Buchanan who shot low passed the Livingston keeper, Darren Jamieson

Despite applying some pressure. Livingston squandered numerous chances and their player Declan Gallagher showed his frustration when he was sent off late on for foul and abusive language. A crucial win for the Wasps as they enter a tough period of games which will be coming thick and fast.

 

barry smith after livi victory

I was delighted with the way the players applied themselves. It was important that we started winning games again. It is also a great confidence boost ahead of the next two matches we have coming up. We have Ayr United in the William Hill Scottish Cup replay and we must show the same level of commitment that got us the victory today. Then we can look forward to the Rangers game – but that will take care of itself.

I’m pleased to get the three points, with the effort and hard work we put in to limit Livingston’s chances, it’s deserved. It was a team effort and we defended from the front, if we keep playing like that and put in the same grit and determination, I’ve no fears for this season.
1 - 0
Full Time

Raith Rovers v Alloa Athletic

“The Wasps” collected a well deserved point at Stark’s Park against Raith Rovers with a very positive display in which the players in Black & Gold took all the credit after the home fans booed their team from the pitch at half-time & full-time. Indeed there would be few people in the crowd could have argued that Alloa Athletic had the best chances in the game in which Grant Murray’s side rarely threatened the Alloa goal. The point moved “The Wasps” of the bottom of the league and hopefully the players will take credit confidence in this display and the fact they always looked like taking something from the game.

 

barry smith at starks

A great spirited performance today and even when we went down to ten men the grit and determination made sure we didn’t concede another goal and it’s a great point at a difficult place to come and we look to move forward from that performance. We definitely got a reaction after our poor display last week against Cowdenbeath, we weren’t flat this week, I felt it was a little flat last week and I felt the boys deserved everything they got today. We have had good performances but probably not the results we have wanted and this week we do look to build on this performance, the result we would have loved three points but to come to Kirkcaldy and take a point – we will accept, I was more pleased with the grit and determination by the players and how hard they worked to make sure we came away with something. We had the best chances in the game especially in the first half, we felt that we did extremely well but we knew they would come out in the second half and put us under a wee bit pressure but when it came down to it we were able to withstand that pressure and still had chances at 1-1 in the game. I don’t like singling out players, but Ryan McCord was fantastic, he did well but it was a good team performance and that’s the most important thing. The team performance today was excellent along with their spirit and determination to get something from the game. Stephen Simmons went off due to a back spasm, we will just have to wait and see how he is. I went in and spoke to John Fleming, the referee’s chief after the game, but I don’t think the decisions went for us today – at the red card, it was a foul, but the referee has the decision whither it is a booking or not, I don’t think it’s a booking but all we ask for is consistency and what I would say was – Mark Docherty is going through late on in the second half and he is pulled back and if you get pulled back that is a booking, a foul and a booking but the referee never booked the Raith Rovers player, now I don’t want players booked left, right and centre, but all I ask for is consistency and at this point, it’s not a criticism by any means but we don’t feel as a club we are getting consistency in decisions.
1 - 1
Full Time

Alloa Athletic v Cowdenbeath

The Wasps paid the penalty for not scoring when on top against Cowdenbeath in the first half after Liam Buchanan and Stephen Simmons had both seen efforts saved by Robbie Thomson in the visitors goal, he was to continue to be even more difficult to beat in the second half. Since our last game at Central Park which “The Wasps” won 3-0, Cowdenbeath manager Jimmy Nicholl has brought in Callum Gallagher, who had a spell at Alloa last season, on loan from Rangers and Kudus Oyenuga on loan from Dundee United and they caused “The Wasps” defence scoring all three goals between them. Manager Barry Smith threw everything into attack after the visitors went 3-1 ahead after a crazy minute spell. Twelve minutes from the end top goalscorer Greig Spence headed home from an Eddie Ferns corner. The visitors then withstood late Alloa pressure, with Ben Gordon and Michael Doyle both seeing goal bound efforts saved by Robbie Thomson.

 

barry smith after cowden’ defeat

We were second best all over the park today, and had a crazy spell after getting back level, we weren’t sharp enough today, we looked flat and when you are flat against a team like Cowdenbeath you are going to have your work cut out because they are structured to make it difficult, especially after going 1-0 down. Their goalkeeper has had some great saves but I’m disappointed after such a positive performance last week against Hearts, to go and show a pedestrian performance today we are disappointed at that. After going 3-1 down we threw bodies forward but we must be better than that and the goals we conceded all came from mistakes by ourselves. We don’t want to be bottom of the table at any time but there’s a long way to go yet. The players know that the performance today was not enough and they have to to get back to the high levels of performances we have already seen this season at our previous home games against Hibs, Hearts and Rangers. We had a lot of pressure in the last 15 – 20 minutes but overall I don’t think it was a performance that I recognise from an Alloa team.
2 - 3
Full Time

Alloa Athletic v Heart of Midlothian

At the start of this season all at Alloa Athletic knew the challenge ahead was going to be one of the most difficult in front of them, with Rangers, Hibs and Hearts now playing in the same SPFL Championship as “The Wasps”, however after now completing the first round of matches neither of the three sides will be looking forward to facing Barry Smith’s team again after three outstanding matches – a 2-1 victory over Hibernian, a 1-1 draw against Rangers when a late equaliser denied “The Wasps” full points, while Hearts snatched all three points with a late deflected winning goal today. Hearts came to the Indodrill Stadium today, unbeaten in the league and looking to extend their lead at the top of the division, however an outstanding performance from Alloa Athletic limited the Hearts team to few chances and indeed it was Barry Smith’s side who looked the more likely to win the game by creating the best chances in the game.

After frustrating Hearts and looking to get forward Graeme Holmes put Kevin Cawley through on goal but Neil Alexander got down to block his advance. In the second half Kevin Cawley had his shot blocked but the rebound fell to Ryan McCord, but his shot was inches wide of the far post with a clear shot on goals.

Substitute Eddie Ferns then beat the Hearts offside trap and ran clear on goal, however his shot clipped the post and nestled into the top corner of the side netting. On this display the Alloa Athletic players should be proud of their performance and look forward to more positive displays in the league this season which will move them back up the table.

 

barry smith after hearts disappointment

I think we should focus on the boys performance for me they deserved to win the game for me, that’s my opinion, and as manager I am allowed that opinion, they put so much effort and enthusiasm and energy into that game and deserved so much more out of it, cause I don’t think Hearts created much and we have created the better chances in the game, by far.

We set out our team to frustrate Hearts, which we did, and we had some great performances today and to come away with nothing is hugely disappointing because of the way we played and the way we have got them playing – our players should take a lot of credit for the way the game was played today. Our team is part time, we train two nights a week and we are playing against a full time side, Robbie has got them in extra sessions – could you tell the difference there today? I don’t think so.

That’s my opinion and I hope people seen it the same way, our energy levels were excellent.

We will build on that performance, we will definitely build on that performance, next week we will face Cowdenbeath and if we show that level of performance then there is no reason why we cannot go and win the game, but we must make sure we get that same level of performance and in fairness to the boys over the opening nine games of the season in the league, the boys have given tremendous effort, unfortunately sometimes it just hasn’t went our way. I think now having played all the sides in the league the boys can look back and know we have not been over powered by any team, even in the games which we have lost, I certainly see no reason why we cannot go on an unbeaten run having now competed at a good level against the other sides.
0 - 1
Full Time

Falkirk v Alloa Athletic

A late wonder strike denied “The Wasps” at least a share of the points against Falkirk at their Westfield Stadium – Barry Smith can be delighted at the performance from his side yesterday in a game the squad was down to the bare bones with top scorer Greig Spence missing after suffering a hamstring problem the previous week at Dumbarton, keeper John Gibson was then injured in the warm up and had to be withdrawn, along with Iain Flannigan, Jason Marr, Daryll Meggatt & David Weatherspon all out through injury.

The team on the day deserved something from the game having battled back into the game after going behind after only 16 minutes. The players were not lacking in effort or desire to show what they can do and deservedly got back level three minutes before half – time when Falkirk captain David McCracken pulled down Graeme Holmes inside the box, although a penalty was given on another day the Falkirk defender would have had no complaint had he also been shown a red card. Liam Buchanan expertly scored the penalty to put “The Wasps” level. The Falkirk fans were sounding their displeasure at their teams display and at this stage in the game Alloa Athletic were looking to go on and win the game.

Early in the 2nd half Alloa Athletic still looked the more likely side to take the lead, a Stephen Simmons header went close followed by a Mark Docherty shot which Jamie McDonald was glad to parry, but the ball broke kindly for the home side. In an effort to get back into the game Falkirk manager Peter Houston introduced Alex Cooper and Rory Boulding early in the 2nd half and eventually the home started to at least get back into the game. With twenty minutes left a Rory Loy shot was blocked but fell kindly for full back Luke Leahy, who from around 25 yards unleashed a shot which flew into the top corner of the net behind Craig McDowall who had come into the game and looked untroubled. In the end the defeat was cruel on “The Wasps” , everybody knew this was going to be a difficult season but a lot of the games have been very close run affairs and not much between the sides.

 

barry smith at falkirk

I thought we were the stronger team at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half at that stage there looked as if there was only one team which was going on to win the game – so I don’t think we deserved to get beat today. I think on the basis of play we created chances and as always worked our socks off, the players have done ever so well but a couple of wee minor mistakes and we have been punished for that at this level, but I don’t think we deserved to get beat. The winning goal was a great finish from their full back Luke Leahy, sometimes you cannot stop shots like that, but in the lead up to it we maybe could have defended better and not takes chances we don’t need to, as I have said I don’t think we deserved to get beat today. There is great disappointment in the dressing room, and I’m sure when the players reflect tomorrow they will think they didn’t deserve to lose today. They put so much energy into the game and created chances, we limited Falkirk to very few chances and we will look at the positives and if we just cut out these mistakes that are costing us at the moment, then we will be ok. The referee had a decision to make at the penalty, is it a goal scoring opportunity? We think our player is obviously going to try and score, so that’s a goal scoring opportunity – so the referee has made his decision and we move on.
2 - 1
Full Time

Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic

“The Wasps” will look back on this game knowing that they had a great opportunity to end their poor record against Dumbarton which now goes back to 13 games without victory. Alloa started the brightly at the Bet Butler Stadium and were the better team before a defensive mistake after 39 minutes gave Dumbarton the opening goal against the run of play. The Wasps had been creating chances, Greig Spence did have the ball in the net but the ball had gone out of play before being headed home, Liam Buchanan nearly scoring with his first touch of the ball after replacing Greig Spence, who had to be replaced after only 17 minutes after tightening of his hamstring. The second goal after 55 minutes came from a corner from ex Wasp Scott Agnew whose cross was headed home by Jordan Kirkpatrick who was not picked up. The Wasps were still in the game but could not convert their chances – Liam Buchanan, Eddie Ferns & Mark Docherty all having opportunities to get on the scoresheet, Mark Docherty then had an effort which came back off the post with the keeper beaten. Twelve minutes from the end Jordan Kirkpatrick went on a sol run, John Gibson saving his chip shot but the ball broke to another ex Wasp, Colin Nish who had only been on the pitch for five minutes to knock the ball into an empty net. The Alloa players never gave up and Stephen Simmons scored an acrobatic volley in the final minute to score a consolation goal.

barry smith at dumbarton

There was nothing in the game in the first half, until we gave them a goal, and that changes the way the game was played, we have created chances in the first and second half but if you don’t take them at one end and make mistakes at the other end, it becomes very difficult to win games.  We have gifted them goals today, the first one was a mistake, the second one at a set piece where the player was not picked up from, and the third goal we were pushing trying to get back into the game – but we must take our chances and learn the defend properly. Although Greig Spence had to come off after only 17 minutes, Liam Buchanan has come on and did well, obviously Greig has been playing extremely well and we can’t afford to lose your players who are playing well but we just have to get on with it. He felt a tightening of his hamstring and he asked to come off right away. Even after that we created chances throughout the game but we never took them and didn’t defend good enough to make sure we didn’t concede after doing so well in defending against Rangers last week. We now must look to get ready for another tough match next Saturday against Falkirk and we will look at it positively and go and make sure we do the right things.
3 - 1
Full Time

Alloa Athletic v Rangers

Alloa Athletic FC produced one of their best ever results against Rangers in a game that marked the official opening of the Indodrill Stadium. This was the tenth time the clubs had met but this will be looked back on a game in which it was Rangers that snatched a draw. The Alloa players worked hard against their full time rivals and created the best chances in the first half and were rewarded when Jonathan Tiffoney headed home Mark Docherty’s cross on 35 minutes.

The Alloa players were tremendous and had chances to kill the game, Stephen Simmons headed just over the bar and then a Jonathan Tiffoney great through ball gave Greig Spence a great chance to put “The Wasps” two goals ahead, but his shot was saved by Steve Simonsen in the Rangers goal. In the final twenty minutes Rangers managed to push the Alloa defence deeper and their physical presence finally forced an equaliser five minutes from the end, David Templeton knocking home after Lee McCulloch’s shot had been saved.

At the end of the day it was the Rangers players who celebrated snatching a draw and the Alloa Athletic players who were disappointed to lose such a late goal and deny them their first ever competitive victory over the Glasgow side.

 

barry smith after rangers game

I was delighted with the performance of the boys, we worked ever so hard, we were obviously disappointed at losing a goal so late on and the boys are disappointed in the dressing room, but I have told them they can take a lot of belief and confidence from their performance, especially in the first half where they have created chances and kept the ball for good spells of the game, so it is good for me the boys are disappointed but we have a lot to build on. We always knew this league would be competitive, we think we have a good squad here that will make sure we are competitive. We changed the team slightly from last week and it worked, sometimes you make changes for the benefit of the team – Liam Buchanan who has been terrific this season was left out so we could protect the wider areas a bit, for ourselves a wee bit more because of the players that Rangers have and Jonathan Tiffoney came in and scored our goal. We have been speaking to our wider playing players to make sure they got the ball into the box and that happened today. Greig Spence had a chance to make it 2-0 late in the game, but he has been terrific for us up to this point in the season and he did great playing up front himself today and on another day it might have found the bottom corner of the net, but that is just one of these things and we are not going to criticise him for hitting the target. Most teams will come here and think the surface is horrible but that is because a lot of teams don’t like playing on it but I don’t think that was a factor in the result today, we defended so well and also created chances. We want to make this a difficult place for opposing teams to  come to, for all teams not just against Hearts, Hibs and Rangers.
1 - 1
Full Time

Livingston v Alloa Athletic

A Jordan White hat-trick, a player “The Wasps” had tried to sign in the close season from neighbours Stirling Albion, saw Livingston defeat Alloa Athletic 4-0 as “The Wasps” still look for their first victory over Livingston in the League at Almondvale’s newly titled The Energy Assets Arena.

There had not been a lot between the teams before the opening goal, Alloa had good spells of possession but lacked any penetration around the Livingston box. Callum Fordyce’s header broke the deadlock and he then set up the second before half-time when his through ball was headed in by Jordan White as he won the aerial battle with Craig McDowall. Ryan McCord’s goal bound shot early in the second half was touched over by keeper Darren Jamieson but on the hour mark he was replaced by Eddie Ferns after Ryan had picked up an unnecessary booking after a late lunge. Jordan White thwarted any flickering hopes of a comeback when he scored his second goal after Gary Glen’s shot was beaten out by keeper Craig McDowall, he completed his hat-trick by bagging the fourth after 77 minutes while Myles Hippolyte had went down in the box, White fired home another goal to end the scoring at 4-0, a disappointing day for “The Wasps”.

 

barry smith at livingston

The better team won today, simple as that Livingston were better than us on the day. Next week’s game will look after itself, the Rangers, Hibs and Hearts games all do – but it is games like today we have to be up for from the first minute and today we weren’t and the better team won. These boys get a lot of credit because all this season they have done extremely well but today was an off day, but I can’t take away from the way Livingston played, they were the better team. The goals we lost from our point of view today were very disappointing.
4 - 0
Full Time

Alloa Athletic v Hibernian

Alloa Athletic achieved one of their best victories yesterday in defeating Hibernian, it was a great performance by “The Wasps” especially coming back from going behind after only fifteen minutes. Barry Smith’s team did well in the first half without any reward, they had showed great confidence and belief and had chances to equalise. However in the second half “The Wasps” always looked the much livelier side and playing at such a tempo they always looked dangerous. Ten minutes into the 2nd half the impressive, Liam Buchanan fired “The Wasps” level after visiting keeper Mark Oxley had parried Daryll Meggatt’s goal bound header. The home side’s attitude, work rate and fitness helped outplay and outfight the Easter Road side. The winning goal five minutes from the end was no more than the team deserved, after “Man of the Match” Kevin Cawley had been fouled on the edge of the area, substitute Iain Flannigan, who had only just came on the pitch fired an unstoppable free kick high into the corner of the net, a goal worthy of winning any game.

 

barry smith after win over hibs

A great result and performance, to come back from being one nil down against Hibernian, one of the teams which have just come down from the Premier Division shows a lot of character in our squad, in how hard they worked to get themselves back in the game, that’s the pleasing thing, it is great winning the game but it was the manner in which they won, the players fitness levels again were first class, I thought in the second half we created many chances. I know what I get from theses lads we have been creating chances since the start of the season and maybe not getting the rub of the green, however today we deserved everything we got. We said to the players at half time to take great confidence from their first half display, even although we went in 1- 0 down we still had created chances and I think in the 2nd half they showed defensively we are sound, that teams can see we are a good passing team and go and play and I think that was shown today. Iain Flannigan appeared just at the right time but you have to say “That is what he was on for” it was a great free kick, we know he is capable of producing that but we do not want to get carried away with the one result, we have done extremely well but we have lost games when it might have been different, but the players will take a massive confidence boost from this result beating Hibernian – that’s the one aspect we will not get carried away be take a great confidence boost from the result. John Gibson had a thigh strain prior to the match and that gave Craig McDowall his chance, he has come in and done everything that was asked, I don’t think I could fault him for the goal we lost, he couldn’t have done much about but everything else he has done as he was asked. Our next big game now is next Saturday against Greenock Morton, every game this season is big for us,and we want to be winning every game  Hibs, Hearts and Rangers will come but it is still eleven v. eleven on that park and I think today our eleven done extremely well and got their result.
2 - 1
Full Time