Season: 2011-12

Queen’s Park v Alloa Athletic

Alloa Athletic continued their good run of form with an impressive victory at the National Stadium. The Wasps started brightly and took the lead after only nine minutes when Ryan McCord presented Kevin Cawley the chance inside the box and the striker opened the scoring. On 28 minutes he was to double his tally for the day with a great solo goal, curling a effort past the outstretched home keeper. Although Alloa were on top Queen’s to their credit always looked to play their own style of football making it a very open game. Kevin Cawley could have scored his hatrick, then Graeme Holmes missed an even easier chance. Michael Doyle did increase the score by adding the third goal before substitute Tony Quinn diverted a Jamie Longworth shot past Scott Bain for a late consolation goal.

 

paul hartley after hampden win

We were delighted to earn another three points today and in doing so managed to score three goals away from home. Queens Park are a good footballing team and like to play a similar way to ourselves, we are happy and want to keep the run going, that is three victories in our last three league games which is pleasing. Kevin Cawley managed to get our opening two goals before I had to take him off as he and Graeme Holmes had been feeling the effects of flu all week. Kevin was again terrific for us as he has been since the start of the season, his work rate if phenomenal he doesn’t just go forward and stand there but comes back and chases and harries and he got his reward with the two goals. I keep saying to him, even if you miss chances in other games you have to persevere to get your rewards. Kevin is a very talented player and he has been a bit unlucky – but we could see the qualities he could bring to the club, I knew that when I signed him – having worked with him at Celtic and I think he can only get better. In football management you live for a Saturday – we train on a Tuesday and a Thursday which is great, but when Saturday comes it is the real stuff and that’s what I live for! It’s a results based business and I know I will be able to sleep tonight! That’s the way football management goes no matter what level you are at, be it in the Premier League or the Third Division. Managers are under so much pressure to get a result but for myself we just need to keep winning games, it is so more enjoyable and I will enjoy this evening after that result and display.
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East Stirlingshire v Alloa Athletic

The Wasps won Saturday’s local derby at Ochilview against East Stirlingshire but the feeling at the end of the game was relief rather than joy in a game which should have been all over in a first half such was the gulf between both sides. The good thing is the way manager Paul Hartley has the team playing their football but for the supporters at Ochilview they had to hold on until the final minute to claim victory, it should have been so different. While East Stirling competed for every ball, we never punished them, with too many passes, especially in the final third not penetrating, the players are still finding their feet and are desperate to impress, there is no doubt we are moving in the right direction and another three points away from home are very welcome. A win is a win and the team are improving every week, Robbie Winters making his league debut was class and will be a great asset to the club.

 

paul hartley after east stirling game

In the first half the game should have been out of sight with some of the football we played but at times we tried to walk the ball into the net! Our two centre backs again were terrific, it’s our first clean sheet of the season – which is one of the things I had been stressing to the guys to strive for, but the main thing was to pick up full points and we are happy to achieve this. We didn’t expect this to be an easy game, conditions weren’t great – the wind was with us in the first half, but East Stirlingshire had that advantage in the second half. We still tried to play football and on another day we might have had two penalties in the second half, but we will take the three points. The team is still learning and getting to know each other and certainly winning away from home is always good. We will get better I have said that to the players – some of our decision making at times could have been better , but we will work on that in training this week. It is great to attract Robbie Winters to the club, he brings a bit class to the squad , some of his link up play was first class and we have only had one training session together so his understanding in the team we get better, he has a proven track record and he has quality written all over him.

john coughlin – east stirlingshire manager

Today it would be fair to say Alloa could have been three or four up in the first half, they missed some really good chances and I was hoping to get to half-time at 0-0 but then we gave away a silly free kick just on 45 minutes, we didn’t defend it and it has cost us the game in the end, because we have matched them for effort in the second half, we are a young team and just need a break. On another day when Steven Jackson hits his shot off the underside of the bar it would have went in the net instead of coming out but it wasn’t to be our day. We have a very young side and lots of inexperience, when I saw Robbie Winters in the Alloa team sheet today, my heart was in my mouth – because I knew he would be a problem for us, we have young centre backs learning the game and hopefully they will not have to face a player of his ability every week but it will help them learn the game quickly.
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Alloa Athletic v Peterhead

Today was a result of intent, bouncing back from the disappointment of last week at Annan, manager Paul Hartley changed his team formation and personnel to best cope with the potential danger from Peterhead’s dangerous strikeforce. This was an excellent three points in a game Alloa won more easier than the scoreline suggests, Peterhead going ahead after 30 minutes at a pooerly defended free kick. In the second half Alloa took the game from the outset and equalised in the opening minute of the second half when “Man of the Match” Kevin Cawley scored his first goal of the game, however his second goal was worthy of winning anygame and throughly deserved. The third goal did not arrive which “The Wasps” play deserved but in the end Alloa collected the three points which on the day was the most important statistic.

 

paul hartley after peterhead game

I thought the boys were terrific today, overall I thought we deserved to win the game. We played all the football and looked like we could score every time we went up the park. Although we were behind at half time I told the guys to be patient and the goals would come. Kevin Cawley was terrific again today, his work rate and overall play was great and his two goals he scored he made them out of nothing. He had easier chances in the first half but the two goals he scored were terrific for us. We are delighted and it is a great three points, we now go into a break and hopefully we can still keep the momentum going. The football was terrific and we will always encourage that – I have said that to my players we will not change for anyone the way that we play – we will continue to try and pass it and hopefully it will pay its rewards in the end, I must make a special mention for our two centre backs, I was very pleased with them, their understanding can only get better. I am delighted with the win a great three points for us. Michael Doyle also showed great energy getting up and down the park and that is what full backs have to do nowadays. Our two full backs were excellent today – but it was a good overall team performance today. The team showed great character – a goal down at half time other teams might have buckled but we told them to keep believing and passing the ball and we got there in the end. A great reward. We changed our system today and I was pleased to say it worked for us. We played 4-2-3-1 with four really attacking players and it worked for us today. We did change the shape of the team after losing at Annan last week but it was terrific today. We felt we needed to change the personnel a little bit and play a system we thought we could hurt Peterhead. In the last couple of weeks we have had lots of possession but not really a cutting edge but today we found that in a system that really suited us today.

john sheran – peterhead manager

For our second half performance we did not deserve anything out of today’s game, losing the goals we did – we didn’t deserve anything and that is what we got nothing. We had a couple of chances – they were easily preventable goals but we didn’t manage to keep the ball in their part of the park in the second half, which invited trouble on ourselves. The goals certainly knocked the wind out of our sails a bit, but at 1-1 the game was very much still alive – there is no reason why we couldn’t have kicked on and taken something out of the game. There is a lot of work to do and I need to pick them up and get them going – we have a fortnight to do that before the next game. We had been ahead with a good goal and no reason why we couldn’t have gone on and did something in the second half as well but you need to start the half properly – that is what it comes down to but instead we went backwards.
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Annan Athletic v Alloa Athletic

Alloa Athletic suffered their first defeat in the league this season in a game Annan Athletic were more aggresive and took their chances in front of goal in a game “The Wasps” played a lot of good football but lacked any end product in front of goal. Annan, who played a similar style at Galabank at the end of last season in the play-off’s played to their strengths with great height, determination and played very direct. Alloa Athletic can play better, but will need to take lessons from this game and result and move forward. Next week “The Wasps” face Peterhead at Recreation Park, who are also still trying to find their feet in this division, but with Rory McAllister & Bryan Deasley in their side we know we will need to learn from Annan and regroup for another mouth watering game next Saturday.

 

paul hartley at annan

I don’t think there was much in the game especially the first half but Annan play to their strengths and caused us problems with their height at set pieces and fair play to them we know the type of team they are, the killer goal was the second when they hit us on the break with a wonder strike. We know we can and will need to play better to win football games so we will go back to training on Tuesday with plenty to work on, but it certainly was a little bit of a reality check for us, we knew what to expect when we came here today, Annan are good at what they do, but we know we can play a lot better, some of our decision making at times wasn’t quite right but we will improve over the coming weeks

harry cairney – annan manager

It was a very tough game for us because Alloa are a very good passing team and there is no doubt they passed the ball well and had good possession but we managed to get the goals which is really important and what the game is all about, we managed to the goals at good times one either side of half-time. We have had a good start to the season and obviously the players are keen to keep that form going, their attitude was great, even when we went down to ten men – although Alloa had the ball and were passing it around we restricted them to very few clear cut chances. We have good defenders at this club and losing Scott after the sending off was a blow but we regrouped , he paid the price and punishment when he brought down their player, it was their best chance in the game and it was a last ditch tackle on the guy.
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Alloa Athletic v Clyde

Alloa paid the price after dominating possession but failed to make the most of their supremacy, the team is still in a transitional period but no one could doubt or complain about the football on show in fairness at times from both sides, “The Wasps” could have had the points tied up before Clyde scored totally against the run of play. Ryan McCord did bring the sides level and at times Paul Hartley’s side were a joy to watch but too many final passes went astray. In the second half the home side again dominated play and took the lead through Mark Docherty who knocked the ball past the advancing Filip Mentel in the Clyde goal. At 2-1 although in front “The Wasps” could not find that important third goal and paid the price when Clyde broke upfield and Scott Bain fouled Stephen McDonald, a penalty but a red card seemed harsh as Michael Doyle appeared to have run into goal covered. Even after going down to ten men “The Wasps” were still unfortunate when Peter Innes struck the post with keeper Mentel well beaten. A great game but a game Clyde will be more happy with the draw, The Wasps need to turn theses draws into victorys to ensure a return to Second Division at the end of this season.

 

paul hartley after clyde draw

Disappointed, thought we created enough chances to win the game and overall were the better team, even after going down to ten men we were still the team which looked the most likely to win the game and still pushed for a winner. However as we know that’s what happens in football sometimes, you don’t take your chances and have to pay the cost, they score a thirty yarder and a penalty kick but I was pleased with the way the team played , some of the football was excellent again and on another day we would have scored four or five goals. No argument about the penalty kick, but not sure about the red card, I’m sure “Doyley” was back to cover but that’s the way it goes, I was trying to say that to the players we have got to watch these situations we are not a dirty team and that’s us lost two players with red cards in two weeks, you think you have a decent size squad but we will now have to be without Scott Bain next week, he is a good young goalkeeper and will learn from the experience and it gives Craig a chance next week at table topping Annan.
A 2-1 score line is very dangerous, we didn’t take our chances to increase our lead and that’s what has came back to haunt us, in the first half the amount of chances we created we should have taken the lead earlier, but it is pleasing the way we are creating these openings but we need to be more clinical in front of goal and finish teams of.

jim duffy – clyde manager

This was an excellent point for us at Recreation Park because I thought Alloa Athletic played some excellent football particularly in the first half, they moved the ball really well in midfield and built from the back and at times we were up against it, although we did have two or three good chances and we have to thank a magnificent goal from John Sweeney but for us it was more about nicking things as overall Alloa had most of the play. We know they are a very good side and I have said already at the end of the season they won’t be far away so for us to come here and get a point is a terrific result but the desire and work ethic from my players, although some of them were absolutely shattered by the end of the game, but they kept chasing back and working, and got a wee break here and there towards the end of the game, even though we had the extra man we still had to work for the point. There was loads of chances in the game – it was a really good open game – unfortunately the Scottish Third Division doesn’t always get the publicity that other leagues get and some people can be too negative about Scottish football but some of the football played by the McCord brothers and their passing style of play along with Kevin Cawley who is an exceptional player and in our team we have a good number of under 21 players so plenty of optimism for Scottish football – we just need to shout about it a bit more.
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Stranraer v Alloa Athletic

This was a game which is going to typify how teams will raise their game against Paul Hartley’s Alloa athletic side, after getting the perfect start with a goal in the opening two minutes, Stranraer went on to boss the first half, pressing the midfield and played well in the pouring rain, adapting well to the conditions which saw two or three of the Alloa players slip at vital moments. Scott Bain kept “The Wasps” in the first half with some excellent saves. In the second half Alloa Athletic certainly looked far more up for the match and started to play their game, Ben Gordon headed home an equaliser before Ryan Caddis was dismissed only eight minutes after coming on the pitch in an incident which looked far worse which the referee only two yards away initally waved on until the Stranraer players intervened. Reduced to ten players this seemed to calvanise the Alloa team even given Stranraer’s numerical advantage. Kevin Cawley who had been a thorn to the Stranraer defence scored an excellent winner in a game we had to battle hard to return with the three points, job done and a victory away from home on grass. There is still a lot of work to do but a welcome three points, next week we face Clyde who defeated favourites Peterhead, again we will need to up our game if we hope to start with a victory at home

 

paul hartley after victory at stranraer

It was quite an introduction to Scottish Division Three football, however I’m pleased with my players performance in the second half only, the first half after scoring very early in the game we were miles off the game and it was only for our goalkeeper Scott Bain that we stayed in the game, but in the second half the spirit, the attitude which had not been good enough in the first half, returned, we spoke about this at half-time, we know the way we can play and we showed that in the second half, then we went down to ten men and our energy was important, Kevin Cawley scored a great goal to win the match, he was our catalyst today he was absolutely outstanding, his work rate, his overall play and his goal was terrific.

It’s a start for us, we can only get better, in the first half we were poor but I’m delighted with the three points it’s a tough place to come and many other teams will get a hard game at Stair Park. A win was our main objective today, in the pre season we have played a lot of good football, everybody’s praising us but when the real stuff starts it is all about points and today it was so important to get three points on the board and get off and running, getting a good start and most importantly the three points, we will take the points and move on. Kevin Cawley today was up against a back four and he didn’t give them a minutes peace, when the ball came up to him it stuck to him and he deserved his goal, I’ve known Kevin from my Celtic days so I know what he is all about he’s had a few clubs and at times it maybe hasn’t always worked out but we believe in his ability and he can only get better, he was terrific today but he must maintain that till the end of the season, his work rate has never been in question – he was fantastic for us.

When you lose goals it is not all about the defence but everybody defending set pieces, but we were caught out again and we said the same last week but we just have to keep working at that, nobody likes losing goals but for our goalkeeper Scott Bain especially in the first half he kept us in the game with three or four excellent saves because it could have been four or five one at half-time, but that’s the way football goes, you stay in the game get lucky and look for to get back in the game which was shown only in the second half.
As soon as myself, Paddy and Tam Ritchie took the job one of the first and foremost things we worked at was trying to get a good spirit into the club and if you are successful there is always a spirit there, in the six weeks bringing in nineteen new players we hope we have installed a fighting spirit into them, today they were all fighting for each other, performance wise could have been better, but result wise terrific
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Alloa Athletic v Greenock Morton

Plenty of good football but no goals, The Wasps can be proud of how they played against their First Division rivals on Saturday, Greenock Morton but rued the cost of not scoring when on top in the second half. Greenock Morton who had scored eight the previous week against Stranraer had to work hard for this victory in which the scoreline does not reflect the balance of play, however as we know it is goals that count and Greenock Morton were clinical in that department while Paul Hartley was looking for at least one goal to put pressure on Allan Moore’s side. Darren Young missed the game after taking a knock and Peter Innnes made his debut for the club. Although wishing to win every game the manager has set his sights on the League, which is the only avenue the club can return to be playing at a higher level. Next Saturday Paul Hartley takes his side to Stranraer in the opening League fixture of the new season.

 

paul hartley after morton game

I was disappointed we didn’t score today, it was incredible, some of the football we played and the set pieces were good but we just couldn’t get that goal to change the game. Morton punished us at three set pieces, so disappointed with the result but not the performance, Morton are a First Division side, they are full time so there were encouraging signs for us. I said before we have only been five week at best with this set of players and you can see our intentions what we are wanting to do and that we want to pass the ball and at times today the football from ourselves was a joy to watch the way we keep possession but we just couldn’t score today however a lot of encouraging things so I’m pleased the way we played, the fitness levels were outstanding but we must take it into next week for our first League game against Stranraer, that is what is important for us, it would be great to get through in the cup ties but the League was always going to be our priority.
Still not sure how we didn’t score the guys are trying to give me a heart attack, the balls were cleared off the line, our own player clearing off their line, I was kicking every ball but we have all seen or played in games that sometimes it just don’t go for you in front of goal and that was certainly the fact today, but apart from the goals we lost at set pieces everything else was positive stuff. When you play against a team from a higher division you need to raise the bar a bit and I think we did that today, that’s no fluke the way we played today that is how we have played in all our pre season games, we gave them a game, their manager stated that, how he felt he didn’t know how they didn’t concede a goal today and carried a bit of luck on their side, but the way we competed against Morton today was pleasing for me. The way the guys are playing I don’t think I will need to be putting my boots on, the guys in the midfield we have are very talented young players, a young hungry team with energy, we will see how it goes but I have every faith in them, I think they are good players and will only get better.
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Peterhead v Alloa Athletic

The Wasps lost out in penalty shoot out against Peterhead in yesterday’s Ramsden’s Cup 1st Round tie at a very blustEry Balmoor Stadium. Although disappointed to have lost out on penalties the new look Alloa Athletic side proved they have great battling spirit and certainly pushed high spending Peterhead all the way in this opening competitive game of the new season. Alloa took the lead after 16 minutes when Ross McCord fired a 25 yard screamer past ex Alloa keeper, Raymond Jellema, but the home side rallied and equalised on the half hour. Rory McAllister, the home sides big money transfer signing in the close season then put them ahead on the hour mark with a well taken goal.

Manager Paul Hartley reacted by bringing on ex Rangers youth player Max Wright who rewarded his boss by scoring Alloa’s equaliser to set up a grand stand finish. Both sides had chances before the end of the regulation 90 minutes as the game ended 2-2. In the extra time Peterhead had the best of the chances with McAllister rattling the Alloa crossbar. So to penalties – Caddis scored 1-0, McAllister scored 1-1, Darren Young put his penalty over the bar 1-1, Watson scored 1-2, Ryan McCord scored 2-2, MacDonald scored 2-3, Holmes scored 3-3, Sharp scored 3-4, Craig Campbell scored although initial shot saved but keeper had moved off line 4-4, then Bryan Deasley scored winning penalty 4-5 to Peterhead.

 

PAUL HARTLEY AFTER PETERHEAD GAME

I thought there were some positive things to take from the game today, but when it goes to penalties to decide the outcome of the game it is a bit of a lottery to be honest with you. However in the second half of the extra time period Peterhead had the more clear cut chances which on another day they might have scored but over the initial ninety minutes I thought a draw was probably a fair result, we had a better spell in the second half when we got back into the game and kept going and we were certainly looking to win the game, we go into every game looking to win it, but I have to be pleased with the players performance levels today. We got off to a great start with Ross McCord scoring with a long range effort, we know he is capable of striking the ball like that as he does it in training all the time and we encourage him to shoot if he sees an opportunity. We then switched off a little bit after that but conditions didn’t help us play the way we like to pass the ball today, that’s not any excuses, after the goal Peterhead came right back into the game by equalising and then going ahead, but overall I’m satisfied the way the team played, people are saying that Peterhead are favourites , probably rightly so but we know and showed that we can compete and once we can get our passing game going then we will be fine.
Today was our first competitive game as a team in the Ramsden’s Cup and we want to win every game and no disrespect to the competition but our main aim this season is without doubt the league this year and I have stressed that to the players, they know what to expect, the work rate was there everything was there that we require, we are a new team , not many teams will require to bring in 18 new players in four weeks so there is a lot of positives to take from the game. I have confidence in my own players and people will look for ourselves and Peterhead to be strong contenders for promotion at the end of this season, but it is not all about just Alloa Athletic and Peterhead, there are eight other teams in the league who will feel they can get promotion as well, so we will have to be aware of every team and every team will be a threat but I am only interested in what my team does and I am sure we will be fine by the end of the season. Although I have brought 18 new players to the club I am still looking and working to add to the squad and bring in more quality, we are still on the lookout and will continue to do so , I have been looking at all possibilities, looking at all areas, speaking to people I know, I will enquire about players, I am satisfied with the squad I have got but you always have to be looking ahead in football with injuries and suspensions, so we will still be looking to add to the squad in the coming weeks.
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