Season: 2012-13

Arbroath v Alloa Athletic

Young Scott Hynd, at only 15 years and 260 days, made his first team debut last week against Albion Rovers, coming on for the last 15 minutes to be the youngest player to play for “The Wasps” in the Scottish Football League, and at Gayfield on Saturday, at 15 years and 267 days, came on in the final 10 minutes to score the winning goal and now become the youngest player to have scored in the Scottish Football League for “The Wasps”, a dream come true for the youngster who is still sitting his standard grades at Dunfermline High School. The game was never a classic, with the high winds spoiling the spectacle but for Scott Hynd, it is a game he will never forget. Arbroath had to win the game to have any chance of clinching a play off spot, while Alloa Athletic had already clinched 2nd spot in the league, but manager Paul Hartley was still looking to win the game. In the first half “The Wasps” had the strong wind behing them and dominated the play, then in the second period the roles reversed with the home side having the strong wind advantage and pegged “The Wasps”back. However with time running out Eddie Ferns shot, come cross, came back of the far post and there was young Scott Hynd, who reacted first, to head the ball past Tony Bullock in the Arbroath goal.

PAUL HARTLEY AT GAYFIELD

Scott’s goal is what dreams are made of, he is possibly one of the youngest players to have ever scored, which is an incredible achievement.  It was instinct the goal he scored, he anticipated the ball was hitting of the post and he reacted quickly – it was great for him, the look on his face was brilliant.  He is still a school kid in the middle of exams – it was a tough game to come on to.  He played last week and did well and that is why we included him in the squad again today. Young Lee McLelland came on earlier in the second half and he did well also at only 16 years.  Sometimes you make decisions and sometimes they can work and other times they don’t.  It was a poor game because of the conditions but you can’t do much with the weather.  I thought we defended well – we were resilient – we need that for Wednesday and our next two games, but for the young man to score it was just brilliant.  We are doing okay, now that we are in the play offs we are just trying to build the momentum and get a winning mentality we have got two tough games, two games to try and get to the final, we will give it our best shot, try and win the games and attack. We will do that on Wednesday night, we will not be going to Glebe Park to sit back, we will look to attack and try and win the game. We want to reach the final and see where it takes us, if you get there you always have a chance. We will give Brechin the greatest respect, Ray McKinnon has done a tremendous job, but we think on our day we are good enough to beat anybody who is put in front of us, but we have two hard games in front of us, we will have a go in both games and see where it takes us.

We came here today to win the game and get three more points, but the conditions took there toll at times. The Arbroath goal which was disallowed was a clear hand ball, I don’t think the referee spotted it, it was the linesman who alerted him, the pressure was on Arbroath to win the game to get into the play offs, we had already done our business but we wanted to win the game. Pleased for Craig McDowall, he had a couple of really good saves in the second half, but our back four was resolute, albeit a new back four partnership – they did well, all the players did well considering the conditions – it wasn’t a great game to watch, we understand that, but it was the same for both teams.
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Alloa Athletic v Albion Rovers

“The Wasps” bounced back in style against Albion Rovers, winning 4-1 in a game they controlled throughout in front of their largest home crowd of the season at Recreation Park, 1,224 fans who witnessed a game Paul Hartley’s side took charge from the opening minutes, with great attacking football. Paul Hartley’s players must be congratulated for achieving finishing 2nd after coming up as Champions from Division Three last season. Next Saturday at Gayfield against Arbroath, Paul Hartley will want to end the season on a winning note prior to going into the Play Off matches. Paul Hartley rewarded youth players Michael Hardie aged 16 and Scott Hynd aged only 15, who becomes the youngest ever player to play a competitive league game for “The Wasps”, showing off two of the young players Head Youth coach Graeme Liveston has been bringing through the Youth Ranks at the club, who is a great sign for the future of the team.

PAUL HARTLEY AFTER WINNING SECOND PLACE

The players played well from start to finish, scored some good goals, with some good individual performances but the most important thing was it was a good team performance. We got off the mark quickly, we could have even had a couple goals early doors inside the first five minutes, credit to Albion Rovers they came back into the game but then after once we got our second goal we dominated from start to finish which some good individual goals . We scored two set piece goals both from the training ground , which is something we try and work on – fantastic when it works but it doesn’t always come off, it’s all about the timing and delivery and finishing it and Stephen has it in his locker to do that. I wanted to freshen the team up today and give some of the other guys a chance and they have done themselves no harm what so ever, it was a good team performance we had to make a few changes we also brought two of our younger kids on, young Scott Hynd at 15 is now the youngest player to play competitive first team football in the history of the club, and young Michael Hardie who is only 16, but we have four of five players coming through and it is down to head coach Graeme Liveston’s hard work and dedication to get players who can break into the first team, great for the club and the two younger players. We had a good team at the top of the table in Queen of the South, they deserved to win the league but I thought we have been consistent in our play, having come up from the Third Division I was not sure what to expect but the group of players that we have at the club, we have a good team and good individuals, great spirit and the players work hard for each other, they are a great bunch to work with, so pleased to clinch second spot in the Division. We now look forward to next week’s game at Gayfield versus Arbroath, we will look to get another good result – there is still three teams playing for a Play off spot, Arbroath, Forfar Athletic and Stenhousemuir, so we have to respect their position and look to do best for Alloa Athletic first and foremost and build on that. In the Play Off Semi-Finals we now know that we will face Brechin City, with the 1st Leg away at Glebe Park on the Wednesday and then the 2nd Leg back at Recreation Park on the following Saturday – we have two games to get to the final. The attendance was great today, the chairman has did well giving out free tickets to the younger supporters – hopefully some of them will come back, but this will only happen if they see the team performing on the park which they certainly did today.
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East Fife v Alloa Athletic

“The Wasps” today turned in one of their most disappointing displays of the season, going down 2-1 to an East Fife side who bounced back after a disappointing week for them, when things said last week by their manager stirred up a great deal of media attention. It certainly worked against “The Wasps” today, when East Fife produced a hugely passionate display which made them hard to beat. Certainly it was a game Alloa Athletic manager Paul Hartley, will want to forget and move on to the next game as we look to clinch second spot in the league and bounce back prior to the end of season, Play Off matches, which we can look forward to.

PAUL HARTLEY AFTER DEFEAT AT METHIL

We didn’t play well today, we didn’t deserve anything out of it.  We knew that East Fife would come at us, after everything that has been said in the last week we knew their players would be hurting and that was the case. You know they were bang at it and we didn’t play well,  we didn’t perform today we lost two bad goals Scott Bain should have done better with both goals especially the second one, but he knows that and has saved us this season umpteen times.  So that’s his bad game out of the road, he is disappointed just now, but he is a fine young goal keeper. The team overall didn’t pass the ball the way that we can and our intensity of play was not good.  We will try and get that out game of the road and move on.  I thought the pitch was okay, we just didn’t play well we just didn’t turn up and perform the way we have been in the last five weeks and it showed today.  We will be looking for a reaction next week after a defeat you always look for a reaction from your team, we will train this week and see how we are for Saturday.  We have got a strong squad – the players that have played well in the last five weeks deserved to be out there on merit, but we need a reaction next week, that’s for sure.
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Alloa Athletic v Forfar Athletic

“The Wasps” made absolutely sure of a place in this season’s Scottish League Division One Play off’s after a home victory over fellow play off candidates, Forfar Athletic. Alloa Athletic striker Kevin Cawley scoring the all important goal in a 1-0 victory, his eleventh goal of the season so far. This will be “The Wasps” third time in the Scottish League Division One play off’s since they started in Season 2005/06. This time the club will look to go one better after being defeated in the Semi Final stages on both previous occassions. In Season 2007/08 after defeating Clyde 2-1 in the first leg at Recreation Park, they were cruelly defeated 5-3 after extra time in the second leg at Broadwood having had victory in sight. The most recent occassion was in Season 2009/10 after being pipped on goal difference for the Championship by local rivals Stirling Albion, “The Wasps” faced Cowdenbeath in the Semi finals, the 1st leg at Central Park was drawn 1-1 but in the 2nd leg at Recreation Park Cowdenbeath won 2-0. This is a great achievement this season for manager Paul Hartley and the players who will look to keeping winning and see where it takes them.

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PAUL HARTLEY AFTER FORFAR GAME

I thought we dominated the game from start to finish – in possession and clear cut chances, we scored a good goal and that is us in the play offs which is a good achievement for the group of players and the club – I am delighted.  We still have a lot to play for and we want to keep winning, I think we have to keep the momentum of winning games – I think that gives you great confidence and we have to keep it going, the team kind of picks itself just now– we have a strong bench and a strong squad of players, the guys who are left out are disappointed but when they come in hopefully they can perform, but we will not be letting up we are going to keep going.  The back four plus the goal keeper have been great – the back four have been great all season they have kept numerous clean sheets, the fact we have a fantastic defensive record with the number of goals which we have conceded, but we need to keep that going.  It is the hard work on the training ground which is paying off – we do loads of shape with the players to get the team organised but they all know their jobs and that is important.  Our fitness has never been a problem – our boys are fit, we have good experience in there and loads of legs and energy which is down to the physiotherapist and the fitness coach, all the backroom staff work hard together it is not just about one man – it is about everybody working together.

We have scored loads of late goals because we are such a fit squad – we keep going to the end because we want to win games.  We will go into the play offs with a mix of experience and we will sit down and discuss things over the next couple of weeks to see where we want to be – we definitely want to be there and get to the next level and we will be trying our hardest to do that. I don’t care who we get in the play offs, you have to beat the better teams and we are a match on our day for anyone  – we have shown good quality  and resilience and one thing we have got is a fantastic spirit amongst the squad.  I will keep playing the strongest squad possible – in fairness to other teams – I will look to play our strongest squad which is available to us.  It was good to get Darren Young, our captain, involved again today, but he has to be patient, the guys are doing well and Darren has missed a chunk of the season, however it was good to get his legs going again but credit to the other guys who have came in and stepped up to the plate.

DICK CAMPBELL – FORFAR MANAGER

In the first half we had three magnificent chances to score and Alloa had three magnificent chances, there was nothing between the teams in the first half.  In the second half we lose a goal which has been a nemesis of mine all year – to lose a goal like that where the smallest boy on the field brings it down in the box and rolls it past the goal keeper.  From then on it looked to me as if Alloa wanted to win the game more than us and they deserved to win the game, so I have no complaints at all. We did not deserve to take anything out of the game today because of the way we went about it.  The last 15 minutes of the first half we had started to weather it and started to come into the game, we were starting to demand and had the ball at the right end of the park for long stages.  It was the goal that we lost – this has been happening to us all season – it changes the shape of the game.  Nothing has changed as it is now between Forfar and Arbroath to clinch the other play off spot.  We have a superior goal difference than Arbroath but we play Queen of the South next week while Arbroath will be at home to Stranraer.  We seriously came here to win today after a great display and result against Brechin in mid-week, but that’s football for you.
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Ayr United v Alloa Athletic

Alloa Athletic produced one of their best performances of the season at Somerset Park to defeat Ayr United 2-0 in a game “The Wasps” totally dominated and could have won by a bigger margin. This was “The Wasps” first win at Somerset Park since November, 2006 when a Graeme Brown penalty won the game 1-0, but there was only one team going to win yesterday, with “The Wasps” all but securring their play-off position which is a great feat in their first season in Division Two having been promoted as Third Division Champions at the start of last season. The Alloa team was ahead all over the park with no failures in a “Black & Gold” shirt but on this performance, Ayr United were very disappointing.

PAUL HARTLEY AFTER VICTORY AT AYR

We were terrific from start to finish today, we totally dominated the play, it is not an easy venue coming to Ayr but the players were absolutely terrific today.  It was a good team performance.  This is the first time that Alloa have won since November 2006 at Somerset Park– we have broken some records this season in places we haven’t won for a while – it is a tough venue but I would say that overall we were the far better team.  The players were outstanding and they could have scored a few more goals but it was a great overall team performance, 20 minutes into the game the home support were giving their team a bit of stick, which meant we were doing okay!  Our goalkeeper Scott Bain didn’t have much to do.  It now looks like we are more or less into the play offs which is another great achievement for the team.  I thought we defended well and the team had worked on our shape all week, on how Ayr United play.  Team wise I thought everybody deserved credit there is no one stands out, we played well as a team.  When you are winning 1-0 you think you have a chance – we have shown in the past we can defend a one goal lead and we showed it again today and we made it 2-0 late on with Homers strike, which allowed us just to see the game out. Calum Elliot ‘s overall play has been terrific and he has brought something new to the team he has brought other team mates into the game and he has unselfish work, him and Kevin Cawley are a real handful for any defence.  I think Calum is disappointed that he has not scored as many goals but I don’t mind that I think his overall play has been very good.  I think we just need to concentrate on our own game – the players have been terrific all season and being new into the league and I am pleased with the way we played today, we now have a twelve point gap from teams in 4th & 5th positions with a healthy good difference.  Obviously we have one or two players with one or two bookings but overall I think we are playing well again and if you get into the play offs it’s about how you play and I think we are just peaking at the right time.
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Stranraer v Alloa Athletic

“The Wasps” got back to winning ways at Stair Park against Stranraer on Saturday, but the scoreline hardly reflects how superior the visitors were on the day. Manager Paul Hartley was delighted with the teams performance but admitted that the game should have been out of sight by half-time. In the second half Graeme Holmes opened the scoring, his fifth goal this season against Stranraer! When substitute Ryan McCord increased the margin to 2-0 thirteen minutes later it looked like the game was won but a late goal from Stranraer substitute Robert Love made the scoreline look tight but on the day “The Wasps” were clear winners.

Thanks to Glenn Coulter for pictures from Stair Park.

PAUL HARTLEY AT STAIR PARK

It was a good performance from us today, I thought we were excellent. We should’ve had the game wrapped up by half time and you always worry when it remains level. I said that to the players to just keep going and play the same way, some of our stuff from the middle third to the front was excellent. We played well, It was a good three points because it is a tough venue to come and win. At two nil up, which was the least we should have been ahead, we then give a sloppy goal away and we hung in a wee bit towards the end but I thought overall we were by far the better team. I tweaked things on the hour with Martin Grehan coming off. I just felt I had to change it, we had to get that first goal and to be fair Ryan McCord coming on made a big difference and almost with his first touch he was involved in opening goal.  I thought I had to be fair to some of the guys from last week especially in the middle area who deserved to keep their place but Ryan’s shown his quality to come on and get the goal and set the first one up. I felt overall some of our football was excellent at times. We had a very bright start today and when you watch the game from touchline with the amount of possession and chances we created, we were just hoping to get a goal so to go in at 0-0 at half time was very disappointing. But the players kept going and got their rewards. I think we are a footballing team and we just kept telling them to keep passing the ball and we knew the chances would come. Graeme Holmes’ goal was a really good one. A lovely finish, good play and it comes from a set piece that we try to work on in training and then obviously Ryan McCord grabs the second so it was good for the midfielders to get on the scoresheet. It should’ve been more than the two but still it is three points at the end of the day. Still it would have been nice for the strikers to get a few goals especially Calum who is trying his hardest to get that goal but his play in recent weeks has been excellent. We are almost there in terms of the playoffs but we have got to keep it going. There is hard work still to be done. The players have been great this season and hopefully now with a big final effort we can get there.”
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Alloa Athletic v Queen of the South

The Wasps went down to league leaders Queen of the South, by virtue of a late disputed penalty, indeed they looked to have cause for disappointment when they, themselves were denied a penalty just minutes after the Queen’s award. Certainly Paul Hartley’s side did not deserve to lose this game, Queen’s will certainly be relieved to be going back to Palmerston with full points. Queen’s took the lead five minutes before half-time, when top scorer Nicky Clark, showed how dangerous Queen’s can be even although the home side had the best chances to go ahead. Kevin Cawley desrvedly heads “The Wasps” level just before the hour mark, Calum Elliot looked to have given the home side the lead but remarkably his chip shot was hooked off the line at the last minute. Calum Elliot again had an opportunity to put “The Wasps” in the lead but his shot, which had beaten Queen’s keeper Robinson struck the crossbar. Queens survived again when Martin Grehan struck a great shot, which the keeper turned over the bar. Then with only five minutes left Derek Young went down in the box and Daryll Meggatt was adjudged to have fouled him for the winning penalty. After this was the handball in the other box which the referee missed and Alloa ended the game empty handed.

PAUL HARTLEY AFTER DEFEAT TO QOS

I think we should have had a penalty, it was a stonewaller when Chris Mitchell handles in the box and how the referee doesn’t see that I’m amazed, our player, involved in the penalty given five minutes from the end is adamant he never touched their player but sometimes these decisions go against you I was just disappointed in the manner of that, but I thought overall the team were excellent, they played really well today, I thought in the second half we were outstanding, we had a good shape and some of our play was good at times. Elliot playing in that position just behind the front two, Cawley and Grehan were a handful, I thought they played well, they had good shape about us when we didn’t have the ball and we worked hard and had some good quality. The players were still raging at the penalty decisions, they have a strong mentality and look to win every game, we still have a lot to play for, getting into the play offs is still the target, we will still be having a go, the players never lie down which is important for us, I have to commend them on their effort today and the way that we played, lots of positives to take into the next game against Stranraer, Queen’s knew they were in a game today, we played well, created good chances, I thought the players were outstanding – they put a lot of effort into the game. Certainly very unlucky to come away with nothing out of the game – but that’s the way football goes at times, but I think for the players effort and their performance nobody could fault them, they were great.
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Alloa Athletic v Brechin City

Saturday’s defeat against Brechin City was a sore one to took, given the chances “The Wasps” had to score and in general their play and commitment which deserved better. Brechin City went into the game on a rich vein of form, having only lost once in past 17 league games since Ray McKinnon took over, but it was Alloa who had the best chances – Alex Pursehouse clearing a Calum Elliot shot off the line, Michael Andrews denying Calum Gallagher after the youngster had broke through, another Calum Elliot effort all in the first half, however Brechin held firm and hit Alloa on the counter attack, Alan Trouten not for the 1st time this season, scoring against “The Wasps”, back came Alloa with Michael Andrews being by far the busiest keeper, Garry Brady then cleared anther Calum Elliot effort off the line, the keeper again smothered an effort on the line and in the final minute when a chance came when the keeper missed a high cross Calum Elliot blasted high over the bar with the goal at his mercy, it just wasn’t to be his day.

PAUL HARTLEY AFTER HOME DEFEAT

We didn’t deserve to lose, that’s for sure. We had so much play and possession and their keeper made a few great saves, it’s a sore one to take but we have to regroup again for next week, it will be another tough game, we still have seven games to go, we are still in a good position, but we need to maintain where we are. The Brechin City keeper had a fine game, he made some great saves and on another day we might have scored a few goals, but our overall play was great, we did really well, some of our passing movement was excellent, along with some good individual performances today. Next week will be another tough game against league leaders Queen of the South, but all the games from now until the end of the season are going to be just as difficult, we know Queen of the South are an outstanding team but we also know we can match anybody on our day. We need to keep going, I’ve just said to the players in the dressing room that I’m disappointed in the result today, but not their performance, I thought we played well in spells of the game and we also showed that we are another outstanding team at times but we need to keep it going and keeping our heads up.
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Stenhousemuir v Alloa Athletic

Paul Hartley’s side collected, what might be a vital league point at Ochilview on Saturday. the visitors had the best of the first half and went ahead in the 22nd minute when ex Wasp defender, Scot Buist fouled Calum Elliot in the box, Ryan McCord dispatched the penalty for his nineth goal of the season. in the second half, Martyn Corrigan’s “Warriors” fought back for a desrved in draw. Both teams will relate to chances missed, but Alloa keeper Scott Bain, captain for the day, proved why he is pushing for a place in the Scotland Under 21 squad.

PAUL HARTLEY AFTER STENHOUSEMUIR GAME

I thought we played well, in the first half we moved the ball well, we had good possession of the ball, the front three were causing a problem – Elliot had umpteen fouls committed on him – he was kicked up and down the park all day, but the referee didn’t want anything to do with him, however it might be a vital point at the end of the day. I thought it was a good game of football, both teams were at it and probably a point is a fair result. Every game is a big game, I said this to the players before the start of the game – we are now into the final quarter and that is when the prizes are given out and we want to be in the mix at the end of the season we have been good so far but we know that there is eight tough games to go and it is vital that we keep going and keep playing well, as I said we have had three hard away games and we have taken seven points out of nine away from home in these games, which I would have settled for, we have a strong mentality about us at this club, with eight games to go, we will try and win as many as we can and see where it takes us. I thought all the players did well today – they were comfortable with the ball and tried to play in the right manner, they handled the game pretty well and I was pleased with the whole team. My goalkeeper, Scott Bain, was great, but he has been doing it week in week out – I gave him the armband today, with Darren Young and Ben Gordon absent, just for him to take added responsibility of being a voice at the back, he never let me down.
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Albion Rovers v Alloa Athletic

Alloa Athletic for the second time this season defeated Albion Rovers by a 5-1 scoreline, this being “The Wasps” best margin of victory away from home this season, on our last visit to Cliftonhill it finished 3-0 to Paul Hartley’s side. After Wednesday nights morale boosting victory at Gayfield, Alloa took the came to the visitors from the kick-off with Martin Grehan opening the scoring in the ninth minute. The impressive Calum Elliot then scored a double before half-time. Albion Rovers manager Todd Lumsden made a positive double substitution at half-time putting on two forwards in David Crawford and Steven Howarth, but it was their experienced central defender, Marvin Andrews who gave them hope, heading home showing his aerial threat. However “The Wasps” struck back with the best goal of the game through Graeme Holmes and substitute Kevin Cawley added the fifth with five minutes remaining.

PAUL HARTLEY AT COATBRIDGE

A good display on a tricky surface ,the players were excellent in the first half they played to their potential scored good goals from good play, could have had a few more goals but you are never going to dominant any game for ninety minutes, we had a wee lull at the start of the second half, we knew what their strengths were putting the ball into the box for Marvin, I watched them during the week against Forfar Athletic and I warned my players that set pieces would be a big threat, I thought we dealt no bad with it but they did get the one goal and it always gives you something to think about but overall I thought everybody contributed to a good victory today. It was good for Calum to get two goals, that is why you bring strikers to any club, I know he is class and on another day could have had four or five goals today but overall the two front men were good, they played well, the guys who came on did well also, so overall it has been a good day for us. Our aim is just to keep winning as many games as we can and take it from there, we have a good group of players here and we will see where it takes us at the end of this season. We are looking to finish as high as we can in the division, we are new to the league but I think we are doing well, the players give me a performance most weeks , we have good quality amongst our squad and even today on a tricky pitch we tried to pass the ball, we are not a team who look to play back to front, we like our passing game, we have now nine games left and we will look to win as many as we can and see where it takes us. Calum apart from his two goals, his contribution was great , his link up play and leading the line was excellent that’s why I brought him in, he can hold the ball up , his movement is good and brings others players into play, but he can score goals and might have had more. Ryan McCord had to come off as he was feeling a bit of a groin strain while Jason Marr and Darren Young will step up their training and hope to be in squad for next Saturday against Stenhousemuir.

 
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