Season: 2019-20

Alloa Athletic v Stirling Albion

Alloa Athletic had to come back from being one goal down against local rivals Stirling Albion to keep going their unbeaten record against “The Binos” since 7th March, 2009. Once again Alloa proved as they had on numerous occasions last season their ability to come back from going a goal behind, such is their character and will to win.

The Wasps made three changes from the team that had faced Hibernian at Easter Road, Chris Henry made his first competitive start, in place of Neil Parry who is still recovering from facial knock at Easter Road. Andrew Stirling and Liam Buchanan started in place of Adam Brown & Alan Trouten who were on the bench.

The first half of this match was not one to look back on, although “The Wasps” had the bulk of the play it would be fair to say there were not a lot of chances on goal.

The opening goal came six minutes in the second period when David Wilson curled home a beauty of a free kick to give the visitors the lead.

Game on, Peter Grant introducing Alan Trouten just before the hour mark which was to prove pivital. Alloa were noe pushing forward and getting the ball into the box and looking far more dangerous. It was fitting that Kevin O’Hara would score the equaliser as he had been a threat to the Albion defence all evening.

Stirling Albion introduced all three of their substitutions and were looking to manage the game out at 1-1, but “The Wasps” were looking to get a winner. Four minutes from time Andy Graham’s netbound header was pushed out by Stirling Albion goalkeeper Cameron Binnie and Liam Buchanan pounced to dive home and net the rebound, 2-1 to “The Wasps”

Chris Henry saves at feet of Dom Docherty
David Wilson scores for Stirling Albion
Kevin O'Hara scores his first goal for "The Wasps"
Andy Graham's header is pushed out by keeper............
Liam Buchanan scores at back post
Game over full-time
peter grant after victory over stirling albion

It is always great to win I have said that many times that’s what we are out here to do is win games of football, we got a bit frustrated because we didn’t move the ball quick enough and everybody was running all over the place, you need patience and you will get there, let the ball do the running. We think running about making wrong errors and killing space for other players that gave us a problem in the first half, even although we had a lot of the ball we didn’t really create enough chances and work their keeper enough, I’m not here to play pretty patterns I’m here to pass the ball to create chances.

The players once again showed great desire and commitment to try and do things which was asked of them, I thought Alan Trouten coming on changed the game for us, he was excellent. He gave us that little bit of space and the pass, with the intelligence he showed to find the space, not just follow the ball and I think that created space for others.

It is great for your strikers to get their goals, Kevin O’Hara got his first goal for the club but the most important thing is Kevin is getting a run of games again, I always wanted to have him as a striker and this will get his career back on track. Liam Buchanan does not need to prove anything at this level he is a goalscorer.

Neil Parry after suffering his injury at Easter Road on Saturday is aiming to be back for the opening league game against Partick Thistle, we are hoping it is not going to be too long term, young Chris who came in tonight made a few errors but his distribution was great and this will be great experience for him and a great opportunity for him.

At this time we are decent with the ball, but still have a bit to go, when we do not have the ball we need still to be chasing the ball down to get behind it, so we need to be much tighter when we do not have possession.

Going forward to Arbroath on Saturday this will not be an easy game, Dick and Iain demand the maximum from their team, so we know what we will be up against, they will not make it easy for you, so we will know you are in a game every time you play Arbroath, the most important thing for us is the guys getting more minutes on the pitch. I now know the players I want to bring in and the areas in want to bring in, so it is just binding our time and waiting till the right players become available but we have a hell of lot good players at the club already.
2 - 1
Full Time

Hibernian v Alloa Athletic

After the disappointment of losing on penalties in midweek “The Wasps” bounced back on Saturday at Easter Road against a very good Hibernian side who are looking to break into the top four in the Premier League this season. Manager Peter Grant made one change from midweek giving Kevin O’Hara his first competitive start for the Wasps with Liam Buchanan on the bench.

Hibernian took hold of the game in the opening twenty minutes with “The Wasps” under the cosh, however gradually Peter Grant’s team got a foothold in the game and gained confidence. Alan Trouten just couldn’t get enough on a glancing header and Kevin O’Hara was using his pace to run at the Hibernian defence.

Prior to half-time the home fans were starting to get unsettled such was the spell the visitors started to impress on their Premier League opponents, playing some great possession football and usind the full width of the park on both wings.

The turning point in the game was the opening goal, which was to see Alloa keeper Neil Parry take no further part in the game after a collison with Christian Doidge.

Young twenty year old Chris Henry had to come on from the bench to make his first team debut. Hibernian having now got their noses in front looked to have regained their belief however their clinching goal to make it 2-0 in 84 minutes Chris Henry had no chance Tom James scoring his first goal for the Edinburgh club since joining in the close season, he is unlikely to score a better goal.

Adam Brown goes past Steven Whittaker
Alan Trouten with glancing header
Kevin O'Hara running at Hibs defence
Kevin Cawley early in the second half went close with a shot
Neil Parry has to leave the field after collison
2 -0 to Hibernian
peter grant at easter road

I was delighted with my team, we knocked about the ball well after starting the game a bit shaky, but the players have had a lot to take in over only one, Thursday night training session, you would like to try and fix all the things you would like at once, but Jim had left the team in good shape anyway, so all we want is getting that balance correct with wee tweets here and there which I want to add and we need to do that slowly because it is a lot of information to put in over one training session.

The first fifteen twenty minutes we were trying to find our feet but after that I was really pleased with them, disappointed again with the goals which we lost, we have to work hard for every goal which we try and score but the opposition are getting goals which I believe we could do better but we tried to take the ball to Hibernian who are a very good side and could be challenging for the top four this season.

There was a spell in the first half when the home fans were getting on their teams back, which is an indication of what we were doing, while we had the ball the opposition couldn’t do anything although at times there was a couple of times we turned and went back the way when I think we could have gone forward and created more. We started with Kevin O’Hara who is different to some of the boys we have here, we have good players and we must trust them to play in that way. We need to defend as a group better at times, but all round I was really happy with our performance, we will not be facing a team of that quality every week and that’s the thing we need to be ready when the league games come around. We will use the next few games but suffered a couple of injuries today which is not great having such a small squad, I will look at that over the next few days and will be looking to add to the squad before the league games begin which is our main focus.

Neil Parry took a bad injury, he is going to hospital just now but they are talking about him possibly needing plastic surgery and stitches which is not ideal but he was brave to come at the opportunity and it was a complete accident so we have no problems with that we just have to deal with it and maybe make him a little nicer looking! It was a combination of injuries, his nose was bleeding, he has a scar on the top of his head and that’s the concern because the wound is too wide and that’s why he might need plastic surgery but he is a strong boy and a willing boy but he has went straight to the hospital.

I was delighted with Kevin O’Hara in his first start, he is a boy I have known for a long time as he played with my son at Falkirk and he played really well there, he just went off the radar for a little bit, as soon as I got the job I thought we needed someone a little bit different and I think Kevin can give us that, I want to look at him as a striker, I think that is his position although a lot of people have played him wide due to his pace, but I want to play him as a striker and get his mojo back and want him to score goals, I know he is more than capable of and if he is successful Alloa will be successful and that is why he is here, it is a big challenge for him, and great credit to him it is the first time he has went part-time, he did have an opportunity to stay full-time but decided to come to us so I it is up to him to push on and show the player he can be.

We are looking to strengthen the side there are some areas we are weak and if we got an injury we would be struggling but we have to be careful we don’t have the opportunity to bring in a player at any time that’s not the case anymore and we don’t have the finances to have a massive squad  so if we are bringing any players in they have to be the right ones and although I have been recommended other players in fairness to the current squad having watched some of the players offered they are no better or not to the standard we already have at the club, we have good players at this club, so I will not be bringing in players for the sake of it they would have to offer something different or be better. One thing I knew I had was a group of footballers that will all fight for each other, they are talented boys with the ball at their feet, they want to play the game in the right manner but the bottom line is we want to win football matches, we don’t want to be nice and pretty and lose, we want to have a cutting edge and I think we can add to that and get better and not lose silly goals, I have a lot to work with but for effort and commitment I couldn’t fault my players.
2 - 0
Full Time

Alloa Athletic v Elgin City

“The Wasps” lost out after a penalty shoot-out in their opening Betfred Cup tie v. Elgin City at The Indodrill Stadium on Tuesday 16th July, 2019. peter Grant’s side were twice behind 0-1 and 1 – 2 before going 3 -2 ahead with fifteen minutes to go, but credit to Elgin City who never gave up and scored a late equaliser five minutes from time.

Alan Trouten watches effort come back off the crossbar
Russell Dingwall free kick puts Elgin 1-0 ahead
Alan Trouten again goes close
Alan Trouten equalises 1 - 1
Shane Sutherland puts Elgin back in front 2-1
Liam Buchanan fires the Wasps level 2-2
Kevin Cawley gives Alloa 3-2 lead
Stephen Bronsky scores late equaliser 3-3
Penalties
peter grant after defeat in penalty shootout

Obviously disappointed at outcome of tonight’s game but not the performance, the goals were disappointing, we had spoke about losing goals especially the second one, I had noticed in the Livingston game last week about our marking, I wasn’t happy with that, so we spoke about that and then conceded again tonight, “Robbo” apologised he is still a young man learning the game but we need that concentration level.

In general play, I thought we played a lot of good stuff but losing three goals from three set plays which we had spoken about, we shouldn’t be losing three goals from set plays and every goal we scored we had to work hard for. We had a lot of young boys on the bench this evening who had earned that opportunity; we are still looking to bring in new guys, which are important to build the group up which is important.

The cup is important for us, we want to win every game we play, that never changes and we will look to go and put out on a similar performances with the ball at Hibernian, but we need to be tougher with the ball and be hard to beat, we need to keep playing that way moving and turning the ball over but at set Plays, 80% in Championship are scored at set plays.

So pleased with generally our play but need to cut out silly mistakes.
3 - 3p
Full Time

Nathan Gilhooly

Previous Clubs: Alloa Athletic & Stirling Albion Youth

Nathan made his first team debut against Inverness CT in Tunnock’s Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup at Tulloch Stadium on 12th October, 2019 and also featured in William Hill Scottish Cup tie v. Elgin City last season. Another player to progress from Alloa Athletic Youth ranks still only nineteen and already a first team squad player.

Lee Connelly

Previous Clubs: Queen’s Park, Sunderland & South Shields

Player who returns to the Indodrill Stadium for second loan spell after a short but successful spell at end of last season, scored for “The Wasps” in 2-0 victory over Inverness CT on 7th March, 2020 which was to be our last competitive match last season. Signed on 28th September, 2020 on loan from Sunderland on season long spell on this occasion.

Andy Wilson

Previous Clubs – Dundee United

Now in his sixth season with the club having signed as a youth player from Dundee United, been capped for Scotland Schoolboys before making first team debut in January, 2017 v. Albion Rovers in league fixture at Cliftonhill. Last season when called upon v. QOS at Dumfries he showed just how good he commands his area and is good shot stopper, pulling off fantastic late saves from Stephen Dobbie & Jack Hamilton to help gain three important league points. Has had periods on loan to gain first team experience with Cumbernauld Colts, Whitburn Juniors and Petershill, still only twenty two years old.

Blair Malcolm

Previous clubs – Partick Thistle Youths, Ross County & Cowdenbeath

Blair joined the club after impressing playing for Cowdenbeath having joined the Central Park club on loan from Ross County where he had only one first team start and moved to gain regular first team football. Tall six foot player who can play in defence or midfield, technically good on the ball and has a great engine he has played in numerous positions in defence and midfield and always give 100%.and vowed to play wherever the gaffer needs him.

Liam Dick

Previous Clubs – Falkirk, Stranraer, Dumbarton

Twenty five year old defender who joined the club from Dumbarton after ending that season in the Play-Off final for Dumbarton against “The Wasps”. Liam began his footballing career with Falkirk making 29 first team appearances before going out on loan to Stranraer to gain regular first team football where he played for the next two and a half seasons before joining Dumbarton in January transfer window. One of the club’s unsung hero’s last season who has made the left back position his own.

Adam Brown

Previous Clubs: Celtic Youths, St. Mirren, Airdrieonians

Friend of Maradona

Adam was one of the Jim Goodwin’s first signings in May 2018, having impressed for Airdrieonians. Started his footballing career with Celtic Youths before short spell with St. Mirren. Twentyfive year old player who has a great engine and gets up and down the pitch. Adam scored his first competitive goal for the club with rocket shot into the top corner of the net, a goal which would have been fit to win any game against Dunfermline Athletic at East End Park last season. This season will be a big opportunity for Adam in midfield now Iain Flannigan has decided to retire and one he is desperate to grab.