Unfortunately Saturday’s game against Dunfermline Athletic was as poor a game as we have played all season, certainly conditions were not great on the day with a strong icy wind blowing down from the Ochils. “The Wasps” started well and too the game to their opponents, Dunfermline Athletic who were on a run four straight victories in the league moving them up into the Play-Off positions.

When you are battling at the bottom of the table decisions seem not to go for you and on another day Alloa would have been awarded a penalty after 8 minutes when James Craigen pushed Dario Zanatta in the box, but referee Euan Anderson was not moved.

The opening goal is so important in matches but the opportunity was not given. In truth the first half ended with little more of interest in a game which was a poor spectacle for the supporters of both teams.

The visitors started the second half brightly and on 53 minutes Bruce Anderson on loan from Aberdeen scored the games only game, a game which had seemed destined to end 0-0. Alloa fought back in the game but a lack of ruthlessness in the final third of the park and great defending by Dunfermline kept their goal intact.

The result sees “The Wasps” move to the bottom of the division after other results over the weekend were not favourable. However we need to take care of our own results first, we can play a lot better in our bid to beat the drop.

It is another game we might look back and think we might have taken a point, earlier in the season, Dunfermline would have been unlikely to grind out that win earlier in the season, it was a scrappy game and we move on to facing Greenock Morton, who themselves will not be looking forward to facing “The Wasps” having lost 2-1 at Cappielow in January, 2019.

Craigen pushes Zanatta over in penalty box

Bruce Anderson scores winning goal

Andy Graham pushes foward looking for a goal

Alan Trouten was well marked having on target in past games

jim goodwin after defeat against dunfermline

Very disappointed, I thought it was a terrible game of football, conditions didn’t help it was windy, pitch was very sticky, both teams were very wasteful in possession, it was a kind of game which had 0-0 written all over it, neither goalkeeper has had much to do, I can’t remember Neil Parry having a save to make, a couple which were straight forward and Ryan Scully has had nothing to do either.

Disappointed, I would have been delighted to have taken a draw from the game a 0-0 and just move on because it wasn’t a great game of football whatsoever. I would like to see the penalty incident back early in the game, Dario says there was definite contact on his back, a push in the box it is a penalty but we always don’t seem to get these type of decisions unfortunately, so I will watch it back and see but it doesn’t matter at this time, it would have been nice though if we had been given it and try to get our noses in front but I just thought it was a poor game of football. Dunfermline are on a great run of form, five wins, five clean sheets, I thought our two centre half’s marshalled Bruce Anderson very well for the majority of the game apart from the goal and that’s what all good strikers do, they don’t do a great deal during the game and pop up at the key moments and I thought he took his goal particularly well, albeit we need to defend it a whole lot better, we end up with an overload on the right side and two versus one, we don’t do enough to stop the cross then and I think when the ball comes into the box we need to deal with it better, simple as that. However we didn’t do enough going the other way either.

I brought Jack Hamilton in for a bit more presence, he came on down at Dumfries against Queen of the South and did very well, I know Ashcroft and Devine are two good physical centre halves and I though Jack would give us more of an outlet there aerially and physically than what Dario does, knowing Dario has always done well for us on that left hand wing, we just tried to mix it up and see what happens. Jack Hamilton did fine but on the hour mark he is only 18 and would struggle to last the game so it was always my intention to make a change at that time.

It was a bad game of football, it is as bad as we have played all season, it is games like that you just have to grind out a result, I would have taken a point and move on but unfortunately we got done losing a really poor goal.

There is nine games left and in recent weeks we have had luck with results going our way, there are always going to be times we lose and the teams around us win and that’s just the way it is, I was at the Falkirk game last night and they did great to beat Ayr United and Partick Thistle get a last minute winner today but we have had our moments scoring last minute winners, it happens, we just have to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and go again next week against Morton, I think there are teams now getting dragged into it like Morton and Queen of the South, they will be looking over their shoulders, it is not only ourselves Partick and Falkirk which are in it there is other clubs as well, there is still a lot of football to be played. We can’t get too down about the result, I thought we could possibly could have nicked a draw, we certainly didn’t do enough to win it so we will just have to go again next week.

Four back to back defeats in the league have seen “The Wasps” move to the bottom of the division. People had written Jim Goodwin’s men off before a ball was even kicked this season, a lot of good has been said about the team this season already but with eleven games left the players will need to fight with their chests puffed out and heads held high to turn round recent results.

For “The Wasps” this was another frustrating game, the result and the fact we are not getting ahead in games at present and the faux pas that have led to the loss of cheap goals.

Taking the lead gives you a platform and that’s exactly what happened after only four minutes, Partick Thistle are fighting for their lives and they got the vital breakthrough.

Alloa couldn’t penetrate Partick Thistle’s sturdy, well-drilled resolve with Steven Anderson a rock in “The Jags” defence. Thistle were under pressure at times before the important and killer second goal but they stood up to it, which earlier in the season they might have buckled but Gary Caldwell’s new look side look to be made of sterner stuff.

However, Scott McDonald’s goal eleven minutes from time, clinched a massive win for Thistle taking them off the bottom of the league into eighth position, thistle now unbeaten in their last five league matches.

The Alloa players efforts could not be faulted, they will fight and give us more to be proud of before the end of the season but with only one shoot on target on Saturday, when Jack Hamilton’s effort was blocked on the line, we need to be more positive and put opposition keepers under more pressure, on Saturday the Thistle keeper choose to run the clock down from early in the game.

Kevin Cawley's early shot is blocked by James Penrice

Blair Spittal puts "The Jags" ahead after only 4 minutes

Kevin Cawley is chopped down in front of referee

Scott McDonald scores important second goal

Thistle supporters applaud Scott McDonald's debut goal

Jack Hamilton's effort is blocked on the line

jim goodwin after defeat against partick

We were looking forward to the game but the game plan went out of the window after losing a goal in only three minutes, we were then chasing the game from then on. I have spoken enough about the cheap goals we are giving away, I don’t think in our last four league games the opposition hasn’t had to do a great deal to score and that’s the disappointing thing for me because it is the same group of players, the tactics are the same as they were in the first half of the season but for whatever reason we are just giving sloppy goals away. The first goal was a poor goal, we have to defend the cross better when it comes into the box and the second goal as well is poor defending. I would love to be able to give the opposition credit in terms of that they had cut us open or the played some great football there, or it was a fantastic free kick but lately I haven’t been able to say that. And that is because our defending at times has just been so poor and that puts us on the back foot and straight away you are chasing the game. Partick then could afford to come off the game, like they did, I think they started to run the clock down from about the fifth minute of the game it was incredible.

It was very frustrating from the side lines you want to try and get a little tempo and get some urgency in the game, but it is very difficult when they are taking half minute each time to get the ball in play every time the ball went out. It was a frustrating afternoon but we just need to pick ourselves up again it is as simple as that. We need to stop giving ourselves a mountain to climb each week, it would be great to get our noses in front and see how the opposition react and then maybe we could take or feet of the gas and let the clock run down,.

We are very disappointed we have now lost our last four league matches but at the same time I have said to the players that we are only seven points adrift of fifth, the league is really tightening up. This time last year it must have been very difficult for Brechin City when you consider they were only sitting on three or four  points, and they were relegated and it was a formality where as from our open point of view we are still in it, we have a lot to play for and it is really important we don’t get too down on ourselves, we have put ourselves in a really good position, unfortunately we are currently on a bit of a bad run but four games prior to this run we had gone six games unbeaten.

We are a good team I believe in the players , I think we actually played well today and I believe we played some good football at times today, possession stats are great but at the end of the day what matters is who scores more goals than the other team. Next week we need to look to bounce back in what will be another difficult game against Queen of the South at Dumfries. But we need to get back to winning ways.

Manager Jim Goodwin was again disappointed after “The Wasps” lost their third league game in succession to drop to ninth position in the table as Falkirk ground out the three points. Once again “The Wasps” started brightly and looked to take the game to the visitors. Dario Zanatta causing danger from the wing but the all important opening goal was at the Clackmannan Road end of the pitch with Falkirk captain Jordan McGhee heading home his first goal of the season.

Alloa came straight back looking for an equaliser Alan trouten had an effort blocked before Connor Shields slammed home a deserved equaliser just after the half hour mark, his second goal of the season to bring the game level.

The visitors Falkirk looked more solid in defence than earlier in season but Alloa looked to take the lead before the break and were denied when Paul Dixon blocked Alan Trouten effort off the line.

Two minutes into the second half Alloa were to lose a killer second goal when they did not clear their lines and the ball was played across the face of the goal for an unmarked Mark Waddington on loan from Stoke City to score his first senior goal.

Alloa applied pressure and had the best of the possession but Falkirk remained resolute and could have scored themselves again on the counter attack. Although at times Falkirk had ten men behind the ball they had more shots on goal than “The Wasps” which was frustrating. Alloa manager Jim Goodwin, brought on both loan signings Jack Hamilton & Jack Aitchison to try and clinch a point. The closest “The Wasps” came to clinching a draw was a Scott Taggart shot which just missed the target at the far post, Jack Hamilton had a half chance in front of goal but it just wouldn’t sit for him. Indeed another goal line clearance after William Edjenguele sliced a cross ball across towards the net but was cleared off the line by Ciaran McKenna.

As the clock ticked down, Alloa keeper Neil Parry ran upfield from his goal to add height at a corner kick but to no avail as Falkirk keeper Harry Burgoyne gathered under pressure. A game there was not much between the sides but Falkirk gained the important three points on this occasion. With now twelve games left we will go again against Partick Thistle who are currently bottom of the table but have strengthened in the January transfer window, in what will be another difficult game but on our day we have already shown this season we can be a match for any team in the division.

Jordan McGhee's header goes in at top corner

Connor Shields fires home to equalise 1 - 1

McKenna & Edjenguele combine to block Dario Zanatta

Paul Dixon blocks Alan Trouten on the line

Waddington unmarked at back post scores winner

Jack Hamilton just fails to connect with ball

High Kicks from Jordan Kirkpatrick

Alloa keeper Neil Parry in Falkirk box.

jim goodwin after derby defeat

I don’t want to sound like a broken record but recently I have been saying how we are gifting teams goals which is completely out of character for us as a team. We now just have to pick ourselves up again, in the first half I thought we played really well, conceded a poor goal then came back to score a decent goal ourselves which took us in level at half-time. Then it was a carbon copy of last week, where we get it back to 1-1 at half-time and we were looking to take the game to Falkirk and then concede a goal within the opening two minutes. A really poor defensive goal with a catalogue of errors, we should have put the ball out of play in the far side, we then had two miss timed headers, its just unfortunate but that is the way it is and Falkirk are the kind of team once they get their noses in front they are a very hard team to break down, and they managed the game very well in the second half in fairness to them but they did get ten men back behind the ball and made life very difficult for us and unfortunately we just couldn’t find that key pass to break them down.

I have no concerns on how we are playing in terms of possession wise, that’s the way we play, I said that to the players on Tuesday evening as it is coming into the time in the season when it is all about results, but I still want us to try and play good football and gain results that way, I’m not going to ask them to play a style of football that is not how we train and put ten men behind the ball and just hang on, that’s not the way we have done it up until now and it is certainly not how we are going to be playing in the next twelve games. We will continue to play the way we play and hopefully luck will change and we will stop making the individual errors which we are making just now and one result can make a big difference and we will have another massive game next Saturday against Partick Thistle and hopefully get back to winning ways.

I have just said to the players there is no point dwelling on today’s result , we will work hard in training, and we will look back at the video analysis and try and cut out the mistakes because at this moment in time we are needing to score three goals to win a game and that is not realistic.

Saturday’s game was a good advert for the SPFL Championship with both teams looking to win the game in a crisp frostly afternoon with the scenic snow capping The Ochils in the background. Both teams opened briskly after a delay of fifteen minutes due to an accident holding up traffic on the road to the match.

The visitors took the lead after 29 minutes with Michael Moffat firing home with a bullet strike. Alloa recovered quickly and less than two minutes later were level when Alan Trouten scored his seventeenth goal of the season against one of his former teams.

Ayr United continued to have a lot of the ball in the first half but Alloa had good chances and looked dangerous. Into the second half Dario Zanatta was causing the Ayr defences problems but to be fair Aaron Muirhead was there to deny him blocking a shot off the line and then by a great last minute challenge.

Alloa were to fall behind when a long ball down the centre was missed by the Alloa defence and Neil Parry coming out from his goal brought Michael Moffat down, penalty. Lawrence Shankland back in the Ayr United side scored his 30th of the season.

The penalty changed the game at a time Alloa looked like they could get in front but were punished after losing such a poor goal. Credit to Jim Goodwin’s men who never know they are beaten and twice Ross Doohan proved just how good a goalkeeper he is, firstly saving from Jordan Kirkpatrick but then broke Alloa hearts with a better save from Iain Flannigan pushing the shot onto the crossbar and over.

Worse was to come with two minutes left Ayr United pressed the Alloa defence with no Alloa player taking the chance to clear the ball upfield or out of the park, the ball broke kindly to Michael Moffat who accepted the gift and fired the loose ball high into the net. It was a day to remember for Michael Moffat who scored twice, was brought down for one penalty and could certainly have had other late in the game, all on the day his wife had earlier given birth to his daughter, Mila.

Michael Moffat scores opening goal

Alan Trouten makes it 1-1

Aaron Muirhead clears off the line

Aaron Muirhead blocks Dario Zanatta's goalbound shot

Lawrence Shankland scores from the spot

jim goodwin after home defeat to ayr

Yes it is fair to say we are disappointed at the result, it won’t be any surprise to anyone when they read the paper and see the score line and it probably flatters Ayr a wee bit, it makes it look a little more comfortable than it actually was but it is that old cliché goals change games.

I was looking forward to the second half, I felt the draw at half-time was fair – they scored a decent goal and we scored a decent goal but the penalty was a sore one. I think we should have dealt with it better, the header should have just went back up the park, it was a stonewall penalty I would not argue with it. Then at 2-1 down we kept going kept trying to get back into the game, we know Ayr United are a very dangerous side on the counter attack and we worked on that during the week, their keeper but a great save tipping an effort onto the bar at 2-1 so there was fine margins but the third goal was amateurish.

It was late on in the game, it was a poor decision, we should have just tried to put the ball out of the park but we tried to play our way out of trouble and it ends up being a tap in for Michael Moffat. Three – one looks like a comfortable afternoon for Ayr United but I think anyone here would have recognised there wasn’t a great deal between the two teams.

Both Falkirk and Partick Thistle have been busy in the January transfer window and both have strengthened, I think between then they must have signed about twenty players, so yes they have had their cheque books out both of them and both of the teams desperate to stay in the league, but we always knew that was going to be the case, we knew once the window was opened the teams around us would strengthen and get better, our last two games have been against Ross County and Ayr United, Ross County are in first place in the Championship with Ayr United  in second as I said we are not expected to beat those teams but we always believe we can but unfortunately on this occasion that has not been the case, we haven’t surprised anyone with our results and we have three games coming – 9^th February v. Falkirk (H), 16^th February v. Partick Thistle (H) and 23^rd February v. Queen of the South (A) which will be three massive games for us and hopefully we can get back to winning ways next week against Falkirk

“The Wasps” ended 2018 on a high after defeating Dundee United for the first time in the league for 58 years, their last victory was on 26th March, 1960 when “The Wasps” won 3-2. Back to back victories in last two league matches at home against Queen of the South & Dundee United has lifted Jim Goodwin’s men further up the league in eighth position, five points clear of Partick Thistle and six ahead of Falkirk.

The one disappointment for the Alloa fans was the fact that Jake Hastie was playing his last game for the club after his parent club Motherwell recalled him after impressing in his loan spell at the Indodrill Stadium, he has been excellent for “The Wasps”.

Dundee United knew how challenging the game would be having only drawn 1-1 earlier in the season. Although United pressed and had the best of the possession it took a “Worldy” goal to put them in front. Callum Booth striking a free kick into the top postage stamp of the net a goal straight out of the top drawer. However Alloa were never out of the game and once again showed they have great character to get back into the game. Alloa substitute Connor Shields nearly making an instant impact having replaced Kevin Cawley after 66 minutes.

The Alloa fans did not have to wait too long for the equaliser, stevie Hetherington sending in an inviting free kick into the box and Alloa captain Andy Graham rose to score his tenth goal for the club, outjumping the United defence.

As the clock ticked down it looked like it would be the fourth 1-1 draw between the sides this season before Dario Zanatta collected the ball wide on the left wing and ran 25 yards from goal, beating four Dundee United defenders and showed great composure to fire home his third goal in last three games for “The Wasps” a goal worthy to win any game and a huge victory for the club to end the year on a high.

Jake Hastie impressive on the wing

Callum Booth puts Dundee United ahead

Connor Shields goes close for "The Wasps"

Andy Graham heads home equaliser 1-1

Goal celebrations

Dario Zanatta takes on Dundee United defence

Dario Zanatta scores winning goal

Managers exchange handshakes

jim goodwin after victory over dundee united

I’m over the moon with the end result, I thought we battled very well today against a very good Dundee United side, they dominated the possession there was no doubt about that but I thought we defended really well although we were a lot deeper than we would have liked to have been we restricted them to long shots and having to put crosses into the box, apart from the one in the first half which Neil Parry tips onto the post and Andy Graham had to recover, apart from that one I can’t remember Neil Parry having to make too many saves for all the good play that Dundee United had.

We then went a goal down on the hour mark, I was disappointed in the build up to it, I thought Stevie Hetherington might have been given a free kick when he cleared the ball and the Dundee United player was a bit late on him which lead to the Dundee United’s free kick on the edge of our box, a wonderful free kick set play from Callum Booth he couldn’t have put it any more in the top corner of the net if he had tried.

Again we showed wonderful character, I have lost track of the amount of times that we have came back from a losing position to pick up a positive result whether it is a draw or victory, the players deserve huge credit for that. That game today could have easily have went to two or three after they got their goal but our never say die attitude again with every single one of my players putting in a hell of a shift. Yes we would have liked to be better on the ball and had a little bit more composure which we have showed in recent weeks but I give Dundee United credit for that because they pressed the life out of us and never allowed us time on the ball. The result is the most important thing and we can allow for a poorer performance in terms of possession wise if we can come away with results like that.

I thought our two goals were excellent, one thing I have been very critical of us as a team this season, the height of we have going into the box for corners and set pieces I don’t think we get on the end of things enough. Andy Graham who was outstanding all afternoon along with Sam Roscoe beside him, big Andy goes and gets the important header and got us back in the game, at that moment in time if the referee had blown his whistle I would have been delighted to get a draw at 1-1 each. However as the game was going on we were hitting them on the break a couple of times and Dario does fantastic, he has come into a really good rich vein of form in the last four or five games, that’s his sixth goal of the season but it is more than his goals it is what he offers the team in his holdup play and he is getting a lot braver as the weeks go on, he is starting to take hits from centre half’s, with having a striker up front who can make the ball stick and Dario always does that, he is always a threat running in behind, the compose he had in the final minute of the game to score the winning goal was really fantastic and I was delighted because his mum and dad wee over from Canada to watch their son, it makes it that little bit more special.

It’s been a great year 2018 getting promotion in the first place and now putting on a really good show in the Championship in the first half of the season, everybody expected us to be rock bottom, I think the only people who believed we were better than what we had been written about us within that dressing room, everybody wrote us off before the season, I don’t think teams are now writing us off, I think people are starting to give us the respect we deserve, I think I have players in our squad a number of other Championship squads would be delighted to have in their team. It is not only pleasing where we are but the manner we have achieved as well, we try to play the game in the right way by passing the ball and being entertaining to the fans and I think the fans are starting appreciate that as well , so a fantastic end to 2018, let’s stop looking over our shoulders and look up and after today’s result we can see what can be achieved.