Competition: Championship

Cowdenbeath v Alloa Athletic

The Wasps recorded their first victory in the SPFL Championship this season at Central Park today, defeating Cowdenbeath 3-0, their first defeat in the league at home, since losing to Dumbarton on 11th January, 2014. Barry Smith’s men were positive from the start, taking the game to Cowdenbeath and determined to gain their first points in the Championship. The opening goal came after 37 minutes when Kevin Cawley unleashed a shot which took a slight deflection of Darren Brownlie and flew past the stranded Thomas Flynn. The Wasps increased their lead, three minutes into the second half when Greig Spence scored his seventh goal of the season, his first in the league this season. Liam Buchanan who has been outstanding in creating chances this season was rewarded when Mark Docherty’s cross to the back post was met by Greig Spence, although his shot was saved by Thomas Flynn, the alert Liam Buchanan was on hand to knock the rebound into the net for a comfortable 3-0 victory.

 

barry smith at central park

I am happy with the performance and the result, Cowdenbeath is not an easy place to come, but everything about today’s game was positive for us, the work rate, some of the football we played and the goals we scored, so it was a pleasing afternoon, but it’s about continuing all aspects of the victory, working hard, which the players always give me, but putting the chances away when they come along. When you go down teams open up a wee bit, we scored three goals and created more chances but I’m not going to complain when we win and score three goals at a place like Cowdenbeath. We will now concentrate on our game on Tuesday night against Hamilton Accies in the League Cup, we don’t look to far ahead, we look forward to it and go in on the back of two victories which is good for the confidence of the lads. Greig Spence has been scoring the goals but Liam Buchanan has been working so hard creating the chances, I think three or four of Spency’s goals have been created by Liam, so delighted for him to get off the mark today. We were positive from the start and looked to take the game to Cowdenbeath. I don’t like singling out players but Mark Docherty did well today, Sparky had to sit out for a couple of weeks and came back in against Stirling Albion in midweek and did very well. We knew where we could hurt Cowdenbeath, and knew the way we were going to play against them and it worked today.

 
0 - 3
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Alloa Athletic v Raith Rovers

“The Wasps” lost out to an early goal against Raith Rovers at Recreation Park on Saturday, once again a mistake in defence was to be costly, hesitation in defending in a game which like all we will face this season required full concentration. Once again in the first half, we created good chances but know we need to start converting some of these openings if we are to turn games into victories.

It was small consolation that “The Wasps” moved off the bottom of the league on goal difference, however the players have an excellent chance to get back into winning ways on Tuesday night when they face local rivals Stirling Albion at Forthbank in the 2nd Round of this season’s Petrofac Training Cup.

 

barry reflects on home defeat

It was another very frustrating afternoon, one mistake has cost us today, we had two mistakes in the first half, one Ben Gordon has done exceptionally well to get back in and the other mistake was a goal. Other than that in the first half I thought we played extremely well, we should have scored as we had clear cut chances this week, certainly more clear cut than last week, and I would say we dominated the game in the first half. It was another mistake which meant we went in at half time one goal behind, that is the fine line in this division, we were punished for the one mistake, we have to work hard for any chances we create and credit to the boys we have been doing exactly that but we need to start taking them as well, we can look at the chances we have made but we need to start taking them….and I’m sure we will. Disappointed with the second half performance because we know how well we had played in the first half but when it comes down to it and we played that badly in the second half, one goal and we would have came off the park gaining a draw. It’s not about performances, it’s about winning games, and everybody wants to play well to win, but sometimes that’s not what it’s about, you need to grind out a result, the less mistakes you make the better.

I will be great for the boys to get back in to action against Stirling Albion on Tuesday night in the Petrofac Cup Tie and we will look for a victory, we will look to go and win the game and get back in winning ways. The mistake for the goal was down to the fact the keeper shouted for the ball, but as a defender you never turn your back on the ball, so it works both ways – but it was a mistake, it doesn’t matter by who and we paid dearly for it again today.
0 - 1
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Queen of the South v Alloa Athletic

The Wasps headed to Palmerston Park in confident mood after two back to back wins in cup competitions but in the end had to return empty handed having played very well in the first half especially, but failing to score the vital opening goal when on top. On the day it went down to costly errors in defence, the first goal a basic defending error and the second, being caught, against the run of play, when pressing for an equalising goal. Credit to the players who never gave in and even in the final minute Greig Spence’s header came back off the post but the rebound was hit high over the bar by Graeme Holmes when on another day it would have been a certain goal.

 

barry smith at palmerston

It was definitely a frustrating afternoon, in the first half we had control of large spells of the game, I thought we did really well and mistakes from us have cost us at the end, the second half the game just petered out, there wasn’t much in the second half. Overall we need to cut out the basic errors, which cost us today, especially in the first half we created and played some good stuff.

The players never gave in and played right until the end, even in the final minutes we had a chance, when Greig Spence’s header came back off the post, but we must keep trying right to the last minute but it just didn’t fall our way today.If we cut out the basic errors, as I say I thought overall the performance was good, we created chances in the first half, the second half the game did peter out but overall with our first half performance if we can continue that and cut out the basic errors we will do alright this season.

Look at the amount of chances we created in the first half, five or six good chances, but it is about taking these chances when they come along – McCord, Buchanan and Spence all had good chances and that then takes pressure off the back four. When we make mistakes we tend to get punished.
2 - 0
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Falkirk v Alloa Athletic

Alloa Athletic secured their place in the SPFL Championship next season despite losing 3-1 to local rivals Falkirk on a dramatic final day of the season. It was a terrific atmosphere inside the Falkirk stadium as the hosts were in the title hunt while the Wasps were trying desperately to avoid the relegation playoff place at the foot of the table. The Bairns started the better and Scott Bain had to be at his best to pull out a terrific save to deny Beck’s bullet header from an early corner.

The home side’s early pressure paid off on 23 minutes when Mark Millar found Beck free at the front post who bulleted his side in front with the header. The Wasps weren’t down for long though as they caught their rivals cold on the break as they pushed for a second.

A brilliant solo run from Ryan McCord saw him glide past four defenders before cutting the ball back to Kevin Cawley who poked the ball home to bring his side level. Some heroic defending from Barry Smith’s men ensured that they went in level at the interval when Ben Gordon got the ball off the line as Blair Alston poked the ball beyond Bain towards goal.

Alloa passed up an unbelievable chance to take the lead on 51 minutes when Liam Caddis did brilliantly to get beyond two defenders and round the advancing Bairns keeper Michael McGovern but the on-loan St Johnstone midfielder could only put the shot into the side netting.

The Wasps paid the price for not taking their chances as Gary Holt’s men hit them on the break to take the lead. Bairns substitute Sheppard did well to get to the byline and squared to find the onrushing Sibbald who forced the ball home from six yards. Alloa could have levelled when Graeme Holmes chipped pass was headed back by Ross Caldwell into the path of substitute Andy Kirk but the striker’s goal-bound volley was tipped over by McGovern.

Falkirk clinched all three points on 90 minutes when Beck nodded home from close range to make it 3-1 at full time after great work from Alston to set up the chance.

Despair soon turned to joy for the travelling support though as word came through that Queen of the South had scored a late leveller at Cowdenbeath meaning Alloa had survived the playoffs at the last moment to clinch their place in the Championship for another season. Jubilant scenes ensued as the players re-emerged from the dressing room to celebrate with the Wasps’ faithful.

Graeme Lafferty, Alloa Advertiser

 

barry smith at falkirk

First of all I cannot thank the boys enough, I thought today they were excellent, they have been for weeks – maybe not been getting the results but I thought they played excellent today, they passed the ball against a good passing team in Falkirk but we certainly passed the ball as well as we have been doing in recent weeks, we had opportunities. In terms of achievements that’s up there, it’s a great achievement for Alloa Athletic Football Club to stay in this division, you do not know what this will mean to the people of Alloa, they might not be the biggest support in the world but it means just as much to them as to anyone else and I am delighted for them because them and the players because they are the boys who have worked their socks off, week in, week out and we have not had that rub of the green and today we got the rub of the green from somewhere else, but because of our hard work I believe that if you work hard, you will get that rub of the green and today we deserved it.

I said to the players after the game if we are in the Play Offs, if we play like we did today we would stay up, I had belief in them, because I thought they were excellent today, we maybe never converted a couple of great chances but that has been the same in previous weeks and I said to the players if we play like that we will stay up because I thought we did extremely well today. We were in the changing rooms and I was already thinking about the Play offs when someone came in and said it was now 1-1 at Central Park, but we have seen some teams celebrate before when they get similar news but then it ends up it is not true, so we were doing our best to make sure that was correct information and that the game had indeed ended 1-1 – somebody had a Sky thing but it wasn’t showing the game was finished – it was a roller coaster emotion because I was already thinking about Wednesdays game, straight after the game I was thinking about our next game which would have been on Wednesday – but I did think that if we had went into the play offs, I know we have enough quality in that team that would have seen us stay up.

We had our chances, when Liam Caddis did wonderful to create the chance and then round their keeper but he just needed that goal but hit the side netting, Ross Caldwell, that’s the Ross Caldwell we know, he was excellent today and hopefully he goes back to Hibernian and becomes a first team player there and Liam returns to St. Johnstone, knowing and having the knowledge they have done a job for us.

I now gives us a chance to look right over the squad and see where we are going with it, that’s the nature of football and there are though decisions to be made cause they are a great group of boys and none of the decisions will be taken lightly but that is the nature of football but I don’t want to speak about that just now rather speak about how great an achievement it is for Alloa Athletic Football Club to stay in this division, for myself it is an incredible achievement to be involved in and I have been involved in some great achievement in my spell as a football manager, but that is up there because keeping a part time club in a division, full of full time clubs is very difficult and it will be a great challenge next season but we look forward to head on and look forward to another new challenge, where everyone can play their part, the Alloa support again today was fantastic.
3 - 1
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Alloa Athletic v Dundee

After losing to Paul Hartley’s promotion seeking Dundee yesterday, “The Wasps” will need to go to the final game of the season to try and secure their SPFL Championship position for next season in a game against Falkirk, who themselves still have an outside chance of clinching the Championship depending on other results. Alloa were the better side early on against Dundee but could not get that vital opening goal, before Christian Nade opened the scoring for the visitors three minutes before half-time. Again, Alloa opened the second half brightly but the penalty on 71 minutes, when Daryll Meggatt was harshly adjudged for deliberate handball and in a double blow, was then red carded for his second booking of the game. “The Wasps” will now face Falkirk at the New Falkirk Stadium next Saturday, while Cowdenbeath will face Queen of the South at Central Park with “The Wasps” one point ahead and better goal difference of seven goal, Alloa are – 15 and Cowdenbeath – 22.

 

barry smith after dundee defeat

The boys started positively, we had chances in the game, and if we don’t take the chance earlier on and again not marking at set pieces, and the mistake at the second goal which cost us dearly.  We can go over mistakes it is about how we respond next week  – there is no getting away from  next week now it is an important game for the players and that will tell me how much belief they have got in themselves – I have tremendous belief in them and I tell them that all the time how with the ability they have got they should be able to see out games and do better in games but next week will tell.  The referee gave the penalty but I didn’t think it was a booking – if he had to give a penalty fine but I don’t think it was a booking  because he did very little to re-act the ball hit him – so you get a double whammy the penalty was enough rather than have somebody else getting sent off.  We didn’t want it to come to the last game of the season, but I know the players will give everything they have got next week to make sure we stay in this division.
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Hamilton Academical v Alloa Athletic

In a nervy game at New Douglas Park, Hamilton on Saturday, the home side eventually won 2-1 to put them top of the table with just two games to go, there was not much between the teams and in a frantic last ten minutes “The Wasps” had looked the most likely to score, in the end Barry Smith’s side gave everything but could not pick up an equalising goal and now go into another difficult game against Paul Hartley’s promotion seeking Dundee team. No games are easy at this stage of the season but the return of ex manager Paul Hartley to Recreation Park will make the game all the more exciting – The Dundee fans section is all ticket, which can only be purchased from Dens Park, while the home side of the ground is cash at turnstile or by season ticket.

 

barry smith at hamilton

I don’t think there was much between the teams but we made a couple of mistakes for their goals. At the end we looked the more likely to score and credit to my players who put Hamilton Accies under a lot of pressure. I just think a couple of mistakes cost us today, I always ask them to pass the ball but we took a couples of chances which I would probably have asked them not to do, but we did extremely well to get back into the game. The players response after going behind was great, they are a great set of boys who worked very hard, as they do in every game and by the end of the game it was us we looked the more likely of the teams to score and credit to the players for that. It was a nervy finish you could feel it in the stadium and it was credit to the players for going and putting that pressure on Hamilton – as I said I thought the players worked extremely hard but it was the case of a couple of mistakes, and we are disappointed today but I cannot ask more it terms of work rate. We are in a good position in the fact we are four points above Cowdenbeath – but the boys know they will need to work hard to maintain that. Next week will just be another game for Alloa, albeit the return of Paul Hartley with his Dundee side, it is an important game for both sides but it will be treated just as any other game. Next week we need to cut out the errors which cost us today and with that effort and commitment, which the players have shown since I’ve come in will take us through.
2 - 1
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Alloa Athletic v Greenock Morton

“The Wasps” took a huge step closer to consolidating their position in next season’s SPFL Championship after a fine 2 – 0 victory over Greenock Morton which sees Kenny Shiels side now relegated. The first goal, as in most games is so important and the home side looked hungry straight from the off, Kevin Cawley heading “The Wasps” in front from where in truth they never looked back. Ryan McCord scored the second goal in the second half with a header and the team had other chances to increase the scoreline, none better than Ryan McCord again, this time he blazed the ball high over the bar when it looked a certain goal.

 

barry smith after defeating morton

It’s a great result, I thought we thoroughly deserved it, we passed the ball , were disciplined and created opportunities so delighted with the result we have spoke about the need for a good start and getting that first goal and how important it is and we got that today and I don’t think we really looked back from then, Morton had a couple of half chances but nothing really like coming back after that. We are now in s great position in that sense it is a good result and it puts pressure on Cowdenbeath we now cannot afford to lose another game now. I said a couple of weeks ago that the players that can handle these situations will rise to the top and we didn’t have a bad performance out there from any of my players. I have always said I have full confidence in our pool of players here at the club I know if I have to ask any of the players to play in other positions they will do it to the best of their ability, so I am delighted for the players because I think they work so hard in games and maybe they have always had the wee breaks at times, its cost us but today we worked as hard as ever and we got there and got our breaks and that is the difference. We know we are nearly there but the massive thing is we are seven points clear and that puts all the pressure on Cowdenbeath, they now cannot lose any more games. You never like to see teams being relegated but at the start of each season it’s going to happen to someone but I’m sure Morton will bounce back, Kenny Shiels is a good man he has his own philosophy and I’m sure he will have them back ready for next season. The first goal today we are always asking our players to get in the box and we had two good balls into the box and I’ve said before “Kirky” is maybe not getting the goals just now but he is working hard for the team and that’s important that the players are working so hard for each other and although he has not been on the score sheet recently he has been doing his teamwork and that’s important at this stage in the season.
2 - 0
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Dumbarton v Alloa Athletic

Saturday’s defeat at the Bet Butler Stadium, Dumbarton was a poor result in a game when “The Wasps” started on the ascendancy and looked to take the game to the home side after they had lost 3-0 to Morton in midweek. The opening goal which is so important came about after referee Andrew Dallas had over ruled his assistant on the main stand side and gave a throw in to the home side, from this attack Mark Gilhaney swept a hopeful ball into the Alloa box which was missed by everyone and sneaked into the net at the back post after going in off the post. Alloa came back and Michael Doyle tried to open his account for the season but the best chance fell to Darren Young who at the back post knocked his effort off the legs of keeper Jamie Ewings. Worse was to follow two minutes into the second half when Garry Fleming scored the 2nd goal of the match with an effort very similar to the opening goal. Ross Caldwell presented Andy Kirk with a great cross, which he flicked past the home defence but Andy Kirk’s net bound header was again blocked by the home keeper. Ex Alloa player Scott Agnew made it three ten minutes from the end before Chris Kane increased the margin to 4-0. Alloa substitute Liam Caddis was then rewarded for shooting at goal when his effort was deflected past Jamie Ewings for a late consolation.

 

barry smith at dumbarton

The players all work hard and give their all for the club, they just need to have a stronger mentality at times when things aren’t going their way. It was a very disappointing afternoon for us and the boys all know that they can play a lot better. It was just a bad day at the office though, where we haven’t defended properly but that isn’t just down to the defenders. It was a whole team problem. In the first half, I thought we competed well and did the right things early on. There just seems to be that fear factor among the players when they concede a goal, we just seem to be very vulnerable and I can’t seem to get to the bottom of it. Every game from now until the end of the season is a big game for us now. We will look for a reaction from them against Morton but the players know themselves that the performance wasn’t good enough and they must improve if we are to take three points in that game.There is definitely enough quality in the team, that if we do go a goal down, we should be able to score. We just don’t seem to be taking our chances when they come along either. Some of the goals we lost in the match were really uncharacteristic from our point of view. We have got a good defensive record so it was unusual to concede four goals and in the manner that we lost them in. We can’t afford to concede a goal like that as early in the second half like we did because we didn’t get a chance to settle into the game in the second half. But then we need to react better to the situation.It is hard to slaughter them after a game like this where they have played well in stages and created chances but then we are conceding bad goals. I still have great confidence and belief in this team because I know they will do everything in their power to keep us in this division. I believe it, I just need the players to start believing in it.
4 - 1
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Alloa Athletic v Raith Rovers

 

barry smith after raith rovers win at recs

I think we deserved something from the game today, but it’s the same as Tuesday if you don’t take your chances when they come along then we make it more difficult. I can’t fault the boys for effort and work rate because they give you everything but the wee things that make the difference is the wee chances and the wee switch off for their goal, not at the free kick, but before it has cost us today. It was a great free kick but from our point of view we shouldn’t have let their player run as far before there was a free kick, the free kick could have been made earlier, if you’re going to made a free kick, make it earlier in move, unfortunately that is what has cost us today. The referee’s have a difficult enough job, but we believe it was a penalty, I believe that Andy Kirk is an honest guy and he wouldn’t have went down in the box if he had not been kicked. When we struck the crossbar these are the wee things that made the difference, if we had scored that, the penalty on Tuesday and I think we would have won these games, but if you miss these chances and the mistake leading up to the free kick today, and you end up losing these games. There are very small margins, we need to cut out the mistakes and finish teams off. Its typical, we have our left back suspended and young Jonathan Tiffoney that comes in goes off injured and we had to reshuffle again, Willie Robertson came on who is a natural midfielder but he did well at full back today.
0 - 1
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Livingston v Alloa Athletic

Tonight game against Livingston showed just how important it is to get the first goal in these important matches. The players started the game on top but were ultimately punished for not scoring when on top in the game. Again we had chances in the second half but on the evening it just wasn’t to be, every game from now till the end of the season will be equally difficult, we now look forward to facing Raith Rovers on Saturday at Recreation Park in another big game for the club.

 

barry smith after livingston game

I thought the boys started the game excellently, we started on top, and in this league if you score when you are on top, very rarely do you get beat and ultimately we paid the price for that tonight.

I can’t fault the players for effort because they gave me everything as they do in every game, but as I said before, when you are on top, in the first twenty minutes of tonight’s game we were well on top in the game, but we needed to score in that time.

We try and to be positive with every performance and we can see there is no doubt the performances have improved, but it’s about results now and we need to get results on board.

Every game will be big until the end of the season, we are not kidding on, they are all big games now and the players should enjoy playing in them, the bigger the game the better players rise above it, so we will have some good games to be involved in from now till the end of the season. We look forward to Saturday and know the game against Raith Rovers will be another tough game, which the players will be looking forward to.
2 - 0
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