Season: 2011-12

Alloa Athletic v Stranraer

Alloa Athletic returned to winning form, defeating a Stranraer side for the 4th time this season who will be looking to gain promotion still through the Play-off system. There was no complacency in “The Wasps” display after their unchararcteristic result last week at Shielfield, Paul Hartley’s side desrved their 3-1 victory which could have been so much more but for the display of visiting keeper David Mitchell, who was excellent. The 2011/12 Third Division Championship winning side have now collected 75 points, only one less than Tom Hendrie’s 1997/98 Third Division Championship winning side who collected 76 points for the season and with two games and six points still available Paul Hartley’s side will look to finish the season in style.

paul hartley after stranraer victory

I am delighted – our performance was great today the players were tremendous and some of the football was fantastic today. We scored three goals and could have scored more. The goals were great – Ryan McCord’s two goals were outstanding and Robbie Winters showed his experience again – he was fabulous again today for us. I know what I get from my players – last week was most unlike us but it was because we had made so many changes but I did expect a lot better last week but overall during the season they have been absolutely magnificent and today again just shows how good a team we are. We are still hungry even though we have won the league we still want to win every game. I still want to finish the season on a high and we still have a lot to play for and get as many points and goals as we can and finish the season on a real high. The team have came on leaps and bounds throughout the season – they get better and better as the weeks and months have gone on – I know what to expect from my players and know the standards we have set. As soon as we clinched the league I started to look forward to next season and try to get things in place and try and improve the squad and try and make everything better but it will be a real challenge for us next year. There is no doubt about it – it will be much tougher and we will need to work hard and get things in place.
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Berwick Rangers v Alloa Athletic

“The Wasps” were taught a footballing lesson at Shielfield yesterday that the season does not finish until the 5th May, 2012, the Alloa Athletic travelling support and players were still caught up in the euphoria of winning the league last Saturday and the game passed them by. Certainly manager Paul Hartley had made wholesale changes to the side but on the day Berwick Rangers were simply far better and deserved their win, indeed all the top four sides in the division were to lose yesterday but with three gtames still to play I am certain Paul Hartley and his side will what to return to winning habits and sweep yesterday’s game under the carpet, we still have nine more league points to play for and can still top Tom Hendrie’s sides Championship winning total of 76 points gained in Season 1997/98 when we last won the Third Division Championship.

paul hartley after berwick defeat

I think the changes I made today in hindsight I shouldn’t have made them but I expected a little bit better from the guys that I brought in to the team, it was an all round poor performance from the guys – I am not taking anything away from Berwick Rangers, we just didn’t play well today. We were not at the races, we were sloppy, we were just poor in every department of the park today so I have got no complaints about the score line – it could have been more, we know we have to get better than that, and I am not going to accept it. It was a disappointment after last weeks win against Elgin and I am not going to lie, I expected better today – I rested a few of the players, the players who have been playing every week, sometimes you think it’s a good idea and then you look at it and say maybe I shouldn’t have done that but I have got to have a look at other players in the squad because some of them have not been playing a lot this season and I have got to have a look at them and see how they can perform. We just didn’t perform well – I felt that for the full team that played today that none of them would get a pass mark. So we have got to do better next week – I am sure we will do – I am not accepting that again. I want to win every game – I said that to the guys before today’s game – we are not coming here just for a jolly – we came here to win the game but we just didn’t perform. It’s not like my players they have been absolutely magnificent all season but I understand that when you win the league sometimes the season peters out but I am not going to have that. Berwick Rangers might not have anything to play for on the face of it, but all players have contracts to play for and they looked hungrier than us, they were better than us it is as simple as that – I have no complaints about that but we still have three games to play this season and I will look to end the season playing to win the games.
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Alloa Athletic v Elgin City

Alloa Athletic won the The Scottish Football League Third Division Championship in style yesterday, turning on some of their best football of the season to defeat Elgin City 8-1 and put on a great show for their fans. This is now the tenth time the club have won promotion, eight of these have come since the end of the Second World War, the last time the club won the Third Division Championship was at the end of Season 1997/98 when manager Tom Hendrie’s side won with with a record of – Played 36  Won 24  Drawn 4  Lost 8  Goals For 78 Goals Against 39 Points 76 – Paul Hartley’s side have done brilliant,but I’m sure they will now try to beat Tom Hendrie’s record the side currently have Played 32 Won 22  Drawn 6  Lost 4  Goals For 65 Goals Against 31 Points  72.

paul hartley after winning league

Honestly today is unbelievable – the way the day panned out and the way my team performed, I am so proud of them. It is a special moment for myself but the players have worked ever so hard, they deserve it. It’s all about the guys we are nothing without the players – we try and prepare them and get them as fit as possible – but once they cross that line it is up to them to. We need guys out there who are good footballers and do the business, they need a will to win and they have had that since the first day they came in for pre-season. I am proud of them it is a great achievement for them but today was just unbelievable, the way we played is the sort of football we have been playing most of the season and to score eight goals, I know they are down to ten men but it wouldn’t have mattered if they had eleven we would still have won that game convincingly, just because of the way we were at the game. Our performance and attitude I am so proud. I have done a lot in my career but this is my best moment and if you see the guys in there because this does not happen all the time – I tell them that – savour this, especially the young players – some of the older players have never won anything – my assistant manager, Paddy Connelly has never won a thing and has been in the game 20 years. This is my greatest achievement and I know I have won title with Celtic and the Scottish Cup but this is up there with the best. I will now enjoy the occasion and enjoy next week and take it all in. I will enjoy tonight, it is fantastic. It’s not an easy thing to do, to score eight goals at any level of football but Stevie May was on fire and he wanted to score and we could have scored more. Everybody wanted to score. The full team was magnificent. A magnificent achievement for us to have only four defeats in thirty two games – and we will look to win every game between now and the end of the season – we are looking to get as many points as we can. We have 72 points just now – Livingston won the league with 72 points and they were full time two years ago – this just shows you what our team is about – we have had to build from scratch. The fans were brilliant today, everybody was great, it’s a team effort here, that’s what we tried to do when we came in we wanted everybody to be positive because the club had been on a bit of a downer with relegation and we had to build again and people took a look at the Chairman and said it was taking a bit of a gamble getting relegated and taking on a rookie manager – I have got to give my Chairman so much praise because he did take the chance on me – anything I have asked for he has tried to give me and I am so pleased for him because he has taken a lot of stick over the last 18 months to 2 years. We are back to hopefully where we belong and we can try and kick on from here.
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Montrose v Alloa Athletic

Paul Hartley’s promotion chasing side showed great character after going down to ten men after only nineteen at Links Park, Montrose, a ground “The Wasps” had not lost since October, 1988. Ryan Harding was red carded after 19 minutes after bringing down Montrose striker Martin Boyle. Ryan McCord was the Alloa hero with two goals in the final ten miutes of the game, and he might have had a hat-trick had a third goal not been chalked off which must have been a marginal offside decsion. This now leaves “The Wasps” in a very strong position – requiring five more points from the outstanding five league fixtures.

paul hartley after victory at montrose

I’m delighted with the result, particularly as we played for 70 minutes with ten men. We’ve already shown we can play with ten men this season. We were really good today, fantastic, we have already showed that this season, there have been a couple of games when we were down to ten men and we have managed to win it plus get a clean sheet – we know what we are about, we work ever so hard – we have a really good work ethic about us and we can play good football – I am delighted and it is another game ticked off and I was delighted especially with the second half performance. It looked like a penalty from where I was but sometimes you don’t get a clear view – I have no complaints about our sending off, it was a red card all day so it evened up a little bit – they had a couple of shouts for penalties but I don’t think our goal keeper had much to do in the second half. Playing against ten men is hard but the way we work with our team everybody works hard – you see that attitude with the players they give me everything every week and you can’t ask for any more. A game at a time is all we keep saying there is no title talk in the dressing room we just want to see where it takes us at the end of the season. At the start of the season our aim was to get in the top four and we have managed to do that.
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Alloa Athletic v Queen’s Park

Alloa Athletic defeated Queen’s Park 4 – 0 in a top of the table clash which leaves “The Wasps” eleven points clear with only six games to play. We couldn’t have asked for a better situation beating our nearest challengers, displaying some of our best football of the season – Queen’s Park played their part and displayed some tidy football but Alloa were more clinical, defeating Gardner Speirs side for the fourth time this season. The ball is now firmly in Alloa’s hands, it’s what we do that is important – there is still a long way to go and Paul Hartley will not allow the players to look to far ahead. Next week we face Montrose at Links Park, Montrose had excellent result at the weekend defeating Annan Athletic 2-1 at Galabank. The Alloa players worked well for their victory against Queen’s Park and showed great desire and attitude.

paul hartley after beating queens park

We were terrific today – the boys were a different class – we have played Queens Park four times this year – the other three times they were unfortunate to get beat or so they say, maybe they were unfortunate again today – we were absolutely fantastic and the team was a joy with some of the football being played we could have scored more than four goals we played them down there the last time – they said they had an average age of 23 and we had the exact same average age. They are saying this week that we have real experience in our team – yes we have one or two experienced players so I am very pleased with the performance from the players today. We are in a good position that is for sure with six games to go but we just need to take a game at a time and see where it takes us to at the end of the season but we have just got to keep working hard, today was top versus second and we showed how good a team we are today. I don’t look at next season I concentrate on this season – the guys we have brought in on loan have been good but so have the full squad of players it’s not just about two or three players that you bring in on loan it’s about everybody but I am delighted with my team – they deserve the credit they have not always had that this year and it’s that everybody else has been unlucky against us but we showed what we are all about today and we have to keep it going – we know we are a good team so I am pleased. It is testament to the players, my assistant, the coaching staff, physio, kit men we are all in it together. There is still a long way to go and it’s game by game we don’t get carried away with ourselves that’s for sure.
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Peterhead v Alloa Athletic

Alloa Athletic put an end to another statistic in the fact they had not won at Peterhead since August, 2007 by ending this bogey after Stevie May securred the points with his 12th goal of the season. At this stage of the season it is results that count – on another day Peterhead could have shared the points but the Alloa players did not want to surrender their lead which they had lost so cruelly in the final minute of our last visit to Balmoor Stadium in November, 2011. This was another huge step in the season and next Saturday look forward to a on form Queen’s Park side who have been unbeaten since our visit to Hampden at start of February, 2012.

paul hartley after peterhead win

We know we can play a lot better than that but the players energy levels and will to win, not to get a defeat is fantastic, it has been like that since the first game of pre season, they are a terrific bunch of guys to work with they give me everything every week, you cannot ask for any more than that – it is a great three points today, we have certainly struggled in the past at Peterhead, going back to before my time at the club, so it is another monkey of our back, we had the same poor record down at Annan and we won there. I know we are resilient when we get ahead we are difficult to break down. It was a team performance today, the full squad, the guys that came on were just as important, I have used the squad all season and that’s what it is about it is not just about eleven guys, or Stevie May or Kevin Cawley it is about everyone, we dug in today, it’s a hard place to come but the players were terrific. At half-time I said to the players if we need to win the game 1-0 just do it, we have had to see out games at 1-0 already this season and we did it again today, I’m proud of my players, they have been absolutely wonderful – twenty nine games and only four defeats, I can’t ask any more from them they give me everything each week and as a manager it is so pleasing on the eye – I’m delighted, great three points, hard place to come , doesn’t matter how you win, it was about getting another three points on the board. Our record this season is testament to the players and coaching staff, everybody is in it together here – it is not just about the players and myself but my assistant, fitness coach, physio, kit men – but there is still a long way to go, its hard work, it is game by game we will certainly not get carried away with ourselves that is for sure. Next week against Queen’s Park is what my minds on now, we look forward to it, the Peterhead game is finished a great three points but we must move on to next week
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Alloa Athletic v East Stirlingshire

The Wasps cosolidated their position at top spot in the league after brilliantly coming back from behind in local derby match against East Stirlingshire. With less than a minute from the kick off, “The Shire” stunned the home support with the opening goal, John Coughlin’s side were playing with great confidence taken from winning their previous two games 6-3 against Peterhead and 2-0 against Berwick Rangers. Alloa gradually worked their way back into the game and were unfortunate to see a Ryan McCord goal ruled as offside, however Robbie Winters drew the sides level scoring his 1st goal for the club. Stevie May who had seen a shot come back off the post did get his 11th goal of the season three minutes before half-time. In the second half Alloa Athletic displayed some of their best attacking football of the season Ryan Harding scored his 1st goal for the club, then subsitutes Ross McCord and Craig Campbell added to the scoreline, making it 5-1 at a stage in the game the team looked like scoring in every attack. If East Stirling thought Paul Hartley taking off Stevie May would help their cause, Craig Campbell answered perfectly with a stunning goal fit to win any match.

paul hartley after convincing win over the shire

We didn’t start today’s game particularly well, but their goal certainly woke us up, it wasn’t until the final 20 minutes of the first half and certainly in the second half every time we attacked we looked capable of scoring today. We scored some really good goals and of course I am delighted we are at the top of the league but we will not get carried away – we must keep it going and roll on to next week, today’s game is finished and we will look forward to our next game. I was delighted that Robbie Winters got on the score sheet today, he had not scored since he came to the club – his work rate and linkup play was really good today and he started the game, after Kevin Cawley had missed last week’s game at Annan, we thought we would introduce him later in the match on this occasion, Robbie gave us a good 60 minutes and scored a good goal, indeed it was pleasing to see five different goal scorers, Stevie May scored his 11th goal, Ryan Harding got his 1st goal for the club, Ross McCord scored a cracking goal and Craig Campbell rounded it off with a spectacular effort, we scored some really good goals today and I’m pleased for everybody. Today was a great team performance, I wasn’t happy with the first twenty minutes of the game, I said that to the players at half-time – we have to be better than that, but it was night and day from the first half performance to that in the second, everybody played their part Stevie May is always a threat, he has been great for us since he came., but everybody played their part today. Even after losing such an early goal I knew we would come back because of the type of players we have at the club – we keep going and even at 5-1 up we still wanted to score more goals, I knew we would get back into the game and chances would open up – today was great, however because we took some of these chances!
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Annan Athletic v Alloa Athletic

Victory at Galabank on Saturday, strenthened “The Wasps” position at the top of the division in a game which after taking an early lead, when captain Darren Young was for the second week in a row on the scoresheet leading by example. Alloa had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half but the heavy pitch made playing football at times very difficult. Annan deservedly equalised when Sean O’Connor headed home from a corner, but Alloa stuck to their task and the introduction of Robbie Winters in the second half helped Alloa regain the initiative. The winning goal came when Steven Masterton’s corner struck the far post, Ben Gordon reacted first by passing the ball inside to Stevie May who smashed home his tenth goal of the season. Annan still looked to pull a goal back and not for the first time this season goalkeeper Scott Bain pulled off a wonderful save to deny David Cox a equaliser, the only worrying concern was an injury to Ross McKinnon who limped of after pulling up with nobody near him.

paul hartley after victory at annan

It was a great result today, the players were absolutely brilliant on a pitch which was very heavy, the players stuck to their task – we started the game really well and scored a cracking goal then after that we let Annan back into the game by giving away too much possession which resulted in too many corner and free kicks which played into the hands of Annan a lit bit, but in the second half I asked the players to respond and cut out the silly mistakes. I thought in the second half we were brilliant and Scott Bain once again produced another brilliant save when required, it was an absolute fantastic save and kept us in the game and ahead at 2-1 when the home side could have drawn level at 2-2 – i thought it was going to be a goal but I should expect that from Scott because I know his qualities, he has been doing it all season for me, but on the day our team performance was great – Robbie Winters came on and made a great difference, we stuck two up front and he gave us the experience we needed, my players have been absolutely wonderful all season – it’s a great three points because Alloa Athletic had never previously won at Galabank and thats a bit of a monkey of our backs. It was important for us to come down to Annan and look to win the game because other people were viewing this as a potential banana skin for us but it shows you the character we have in the dressing room and I cannot be more pleased with my players. We bounced back last week against Clyde, looking to get the defeats out of our system but four defeats in 27 games, I think it is not a back record we have, however we need to keep going there is still a lot of hard games to go, I keep saying we must threat every game at a time, its an old cliché but it is true- so we must keep going and doing the same things. The spirit in the dressing room is great which is something we have had since early pre season, I thing when you have a football team who have spirit – you have half a chance and my players are an absolute pleasure to work with – they give me everything and that’s all you can ask at this level, but we still have a bit of football ability also mixed in with that, so we have everything and I am really proud of them.
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Alloa Athletic v Clyde

Alloa Athletic returned to winning ways and collected another three valuable league points after Darren Young scored the winner against Clyde at Recreatuion Park. The most important statistic in thios game is collecting the three points, we will have played better this season and not won but on the day 3 points was the main concern. Clyde were well organised and Declan Gallagher was outstanding in their defence, “The Wasps” were finding Jim Duffy’s side tough to break down. In the second half Alloa moved up a gear and patience paid off when Darren Young scored his first competitive goal for the club which proved to be the winner. In was a great relief for all the Alloa Athletic support when at some times in the season it was felt the team had to grind out the result, the victory again gives “The Wasps” a eight point cushion at the top of the league but every game in the run in will be just as difficult. Next up is a trip to Galabank to play Annan Athletic – a ground “The Wasps” have still to record a victory on, no better time than next Saturday to put this right.

paul hartley after clyde win

I think it was just about winning today and getting the three points, it was a little bit nervy I think in the first half but we came out in the second half and played a lot better, we are a better team than we showed in the first half but credit to Clyde they came here and played well, they had a good game plan, we got frustrated at times and couldn’t get our passing game going, but I think we are at the time of the season when people get nervy because we are at the top of the league, but I tried to tell the players at half time to relax and go and play the football we know they can play. Although we are now eight points clear no one will be getting carried away, we will keep our feet on the ground – and will keep taking a game at a time – we are in a nice position, it’s where we want to be but we have got to try and stay there.

Every game is difficult, there is no easy games that is for sure but I think three points was the key thing for us today. We have tried to manage Darren Young – at this stage in his career, we are trying to look after his body – we let him work with the physiotherapist midweek and sometimes and he doesn’t always train to try and maintain him but he has been fantastic and deserved his goal today. He has been outstanding for us.
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Elgin City v Alloa Athletic

Alloa Athletic manager Paul Hartley knows his side are capable of far better than their display at Borough Briggs against Elgin City on Saturday, to be honest “The Wasps” were as poor as they have played this season, going behind inside the first minute, but credit to Elgin City they were clinical. The home side gained in confidence from the opening goal, although  Alloa had lots of possesion they never had a cutting edge and needed to be more direct at times. Ross McKinnon was unfortunate to see his free kick strike the cross bar and at the start of the second half Michael Doyle after showing great pace was clear in the box but shot wide. Elgin’s third goal was when the home side soaked up Alloa pressure and caught the visitors on the break to kill off the game at 3-0, Elgin took their chances in the game while on the day Alloa had too many players who didn’t perform. We are still in a strong position in the league with the old cliche of one game at a time so relevent just now.

paul hartley after elgin defeat

It’s a sore one that’s for sure, I have no complaints about the score, Elgin took their chances but we didn’t give ourselves a chance losing a goal in the first minute, we had too many players having an off day today, it’s not like us we have been very solid as a team, we have been good and strong but it just wasn’t our day today, we didn’t perform in the way I expect my team to play. Yes I’m criticizing them for not performing – we had loads of possession but no cutting edge today. Elgin are a very good team , we hold our hands up, we always compliment the other team if they deserve it, for ourselves we had too many players having an off day, you can sometimes get away with one or two players not at their best but not when it is seven or eight of the team. The players know that in the dressing room, they will now need to look to bounce back. We’ve done really well to get to the top of the league, but its hard work to stay there, we are at the top of the league and everybody is looking to shoot you down, we are still where we want to be but we will need to look for a reaction for next week’s game again Clyde. We will look to bounce back from this, grind out a couple of results and get back to winning ways.
I will look to freshen up the team, I have always said that I will use the full squad and others players will be given their chance again next week.
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