Season: 2019-20
Alloa Athletic v Inverness CT
On Saturday against Inverness Caledonian Thistle “The Wasps” produced one of their best performances of the season defeating John Robertson’s side 2-0, a scoreline which certaintly did not flatter Alloa Athletic who should have won with a bigger margin. There was no doubt the better team won on the day, remarkably “The Wasps” last victory over Inverness CT at Recreation Park was as far back as 10th May, 1997 when David Pew scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory.
Peter Grant went with a very youthful looking Alloa Athletic side, somewhat forced due to injury but the players who came in certainly didn’t disappoint. Lee Connelly making his first full start certainly caught the eye scoring after 12 minutes and then providing a fantastic assist picking out Alan Trouten ghosting in at the back post to double “The Wasps” lead 2-0.
In the second half it was “The Wasps” who had the upper hand and should have increased their margin of victory. Scott Banks and Lee Connelly were causing the Inverness CT defence major problems which they had no answers. Scott Banks running at defenders and turning them inside out, all that was missing was the finish.
 
2 - 0Full Time |
Dundee v Alloa Athletic
“The Wasps” securred a valuable point on the road in midweek against Dundee at the Kilmac Stadium Dens Park thanks to a superb performance from Neil Parry who was making a surprise return to the first team having been out with an injury since the 7th September, 2019 when he suffered a hamstring injury in Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Cup tie against Dunfermline Athletic.
After the disappointment of losing their unbeaten record at home to Ayr United on Saturday, Peter Grant’s side once again proved how difficult a team they can be to beat, indeed the opening chance of the match fell to Kevin O’Hara but his effort flew past the post.
Alloa included Scott Banks from the start and the on loan player from Crystal Palace showed some great touches and vision of passing.
The home side had the bulk of possession but a combination of bad finishing and comanding goalkeeping from Neil Parry kept the home fans very quiet.
By the end of the evening Dundee had thrown everything at “The Wasps” but Neil Parry and his defence to earn a shut out and a good point on the road.
Peter grant at dens park
Neil Parry had some very good saves but I thought we played very well with the ball, if we had taken care we could have created more chances ourselves, but it was probably the biggest decision I have had to make as a manager to leave young Kieran out tonight, because I think he has been outstanding for us, I know he made a mishap on Saturday but it was nothing to do with that, I just felt with the centre backs we have missing at the moment we needed to bring someone with a bit more of a presence at this moment in time with experience to help us out and Neil certainly gives us that, he has been training for the past couple of weeks. It is very difficult when you are part-time how to give these players game time, possibly in the reserves but that is not the quality of football Neil needs or the pressure he would be under, so the only way he could get back to this level was through his training, but delighted to have him back but it was probably the hardest decision I have had to make as a manager since I came in.
Frustration is probably an understatement, if you are honest yourself and some of the decisions were ridicules , the free kick he gave at the edge of the box probably summed it up, Iain Flannigan was facing his own goal the boy smashes him in the back and he gave a free kick to them, which is near impossible but yet again I have said many a time I think it is ok, I have to watch what I say and shout I agree with that 100% but I think any man walking in the street would do the exact same because that is not the rules, play the rules and we are alright, that’s all I ask for. I think Dundee were complaining about time wasting and not sure what for, maybe Neil Parry with a couple of his kicks that is fine but they should be delighted for the decisions they were getting.
I think Dundee are a right good side you see the squad of players they have, I had guys coming back after injury, Neil Parry has been out since the start of September, Jon Robertson has been out the last four games and hasn’t trained but because of injury to Blair Malcolm and Robbie Deas being ill, Andy Graham has been out long term we had to shuffle the group roundabout but the one thing I have said many a time about this group of players, they show great desire, Ben Stirling could hardly walk at half-time and I thought we were going to have to make a substitution but he wanted to get through the game and I thought he was outstanding, you get a wee bit frustrated because we played a  lot of good football and if we had taken care in some of the very good areas and people forget we had the very first chance of the game when we should score, Scott Banks did great down the side and rolled the ball back to Kevin O’Hara but he put his shot over the bar and then it would have been a right pressure pot for them but the referee tried to keep them in it with his performance and Neil had to make the saves from a lot of that.
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Alloa Athletic v Ayr United
This was a game where injuries were to catch up with “The Wasps” with Parry, Graham, Deas, Robertson, Brown and Gilhooly all unavailable, Peter Grant’s team on Saturday were stretched defencively even before both Blair Malcolm and Liam Dick had to be replaced with Kevin Cawley covering at right back and Stevie Hetherington at left back.
In the end a 2-0 victory flattered Ayr United in a game in which both keepers had differing fortunes, young Kieran Wright making a horrible error, which he will learn from, to allow Ayr United to open the scoring.
Ayr United keeper Ross Doohan had to make a string of fantastic saves to keep his side level, “The Wasps” creating plenty of opportunities but missing the chances, which at this stage in the season need to be taken.
Alloa battled to find an equaliser and nobody could question the players workrate but losing the opening goal had put “The Wasps” on the backfoot. Alloa dominated possession, especially in the second half but could not get the goal which their play deserved. Scott Banks came on for his “Wasps” debut after joining on loan from Crystal Palace and his quality was causing the Ayr United defence problems, stopping him any way they could.
With eight minutes to go, Ayr United scored the killer goal, when Alan Forrest was given room to pick his spot in the top corner of the net, a fantastic goal but cruel on the home side.
Alloa kept battling to the end but it was Ayr United who collected the valuable league points and end “The Wasps” seven game unbeaten record in the league.
Peter grant after the defeat
It was a game we made an error, young Kieran Wright knows that, he has held his hand up, that’s probably the youthfulness in him as well, as a young goalkeeper we know you are always going to have mistakes but then he had a World class save at the end, but losing the opening goal put us on the back foot and that is now in both games we have played Ayr we have lost early goals.
We had a lot of the ball and created chances, missed them, and football is what you do in both boxes and we weren’t clinical enough, in a game maybe Ayr had three shots on goal and they got two goals and the save from Kieran right at the end of the match. Obviously very disappointed with the result but yet again I thought it took us a little bit time in the first half to get going, we adjusted a little bit, created the chances and their keeper had a couple of fantastic saves, but for me they were bad misses, we need to be more ruthless and it proved costly in the end but fair play to Ayr United they kept going and their winning goal to go 2-0 ahead was a strike which was going in the top corner, I don’t think we lose to shots which seem to go in, but in the top corner, but Ayr are capable of that, they have good players they are a good side but it would be remiss of me to say the players did anything wrong today, the disappointment in the dressing room is the fact of the distance they have came, dominating a lot of the play, had more shots on goal, but you have to be more ruthless in front of goal , or you will never win games of football.
0 - 2Full Time |