A Declan McAvoy goal at Methil on Saturday against East Fife earned “The Wasps” full points in a game when the first goal was going to be so important. The players once again showed great fighting spirit against an East Fife side who had defeated promotion hopefuls Brechin City 2-0 in midweek. East Fife had the best of the first 45 minutes, but Alloa were a better side in the second half, in a game which had few clear cut chances. Declan McAvoy scored his first goal for the club starting the move in his own half before playing a one two and getting forward into the East Fife box and having a shot which took a deflection past home keeper Michael Brown. This gave Alloa more confidence and Stuart Noble might have increased Alloa’s lead shortly after the goal but his pass inside to Prunty was intercepted. David Crawford had to be at his best and Jonathon Smart might still be wondering how DC got down to save at his post late on the game to deny East Fife a share of the points. However with five games left we are still doing our best to secure promotion to the First Division although nothing has been achieved as yet.

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allan maitland at methil

Today was an absolutely massive result for us and I am thrilled for the players, I thought our problems had been well documented, players injured and everything else. Today I had Stuart Noble, Chris Townsley and Bryan Prunty coming back which as I said before a bit earlier than they should do, but they are determined to play their part and with so many players out suspended today and this being such a vital game they all wanted to play and contributed to what I thought was a tremendous battling display, there is no doubt at times we were riding our luck and we got a fortunate break at the goal, David Crawford our goal keeper had a fantastic save in the first half and an absolute top drawer save in the second half from Jonathan Smart with a header low down at his corner but I think that is Davie Crawford’s 18th shut-out this season and that goes a long way to helping you win things, our centre backs today I thought were immense and it had to be a day when you work at it and work at it and make yourself difficult to beat, and with Stuart Noble and Bryan Prunty on the park we know we were always capable of scoring goals. Young Declan got his goal which is a bonus for him and a bonus for us but I felt we could win the game if we just made sure we were tight at the back and that’s what happened. On Wednesday night we will see John Grant, Mark Brown and Andy Scott all coming back from suspension, we will have Bryan Prunty , Chris Townsley and Stuart Noble in better shape, Dougie Wilson was back in the squad today. We have got five games left, we have got players back, we are in great shape, in great heart and we are going to do our best to see where that takes us. The fans have been fantastic at this club, they have been great and I think they recognise how hard everybody at this club is working, from me, Wardie, Hilly and the players, the back room staff and the board as well have supported me by extending Thomas Flynn’s loan deal, by bringing in Declan and Tony when we were short of numbers. Everybody is doing their part.

The Wasps moved back into third position in the League, only three points behind leaders Cowdenbeath and Stirling Albion after this victory at Methil. After the disappointment of losing a two goal lead at Gayfield Park, Arbroath in midweek the players were determined to make sure they returned with three points from Methil on Saturday. Iain Russell did have the ball in the net inside the first ten minutes but the effort was ruled out for pushing by the officials. The opening goal came on the half hour, Gary Carroll scoring after the home keeper spilled his effort into the net. Eight minutes later after Brian Carrigan had been fouled in the box Andy Scott saw his penalty kick saved. The Wasps lkept at their task and Iain Russell sealed the three points with his 2nd goal in two games, when seven minutes  from the end he scored a great solo effort. Later in the game young Ross Philp hit the post with an effort which might have extended Alloa’s lead.

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Alloa Athletic’s victory at Methil against East Fife gives the club a giant step towards avoiding the relegation play off’s this season. Coming off some poor recent results the performance at Bayview Stadium was at times a joy to watch, certainly in the first half when goals from Stuart Noble & Andy Scott gave the team a great lift and produced a spirited performance in which the Alloa players were first to every ball in which they were the driving force. Indeed credit must go to manager Allan Maitland who took bold decisions in the starting line up, giving full debuts to Gary Carroll and Marc McCafferty who both had excellent games, indeed it was Gary Carroll’s driving run and pass which set up Stuart Noble for the important opening goal in 20 minutes, ten minutes later Brown Ferguson was fouled in the box and Andy Scott despatched the resultant penalty kick for his eighth goal of the season. East Fife had started the game well, reacting well to the changes at the club, with caretaker manager Stevie Crawford sending out an attack minded side. Stuart Noble, who was playing his last game for “The Wasps” as his loan period from Airdrie United has now come to an end, was causing the East Fife defence all sorts of problems and was denied a second goal when Michael Brown brilliantly saved a second half shot which looked to be goal bound. This result now sets us up for next weeks game against Queen’s Park, knowing victory over Gardner Spiers side would keep Alloa Athletic out of the relegation Play off’s. There will be a huge amount of pressure next week, for both sides, Alloa need to take the positives from Methil and try and build on that for the Queen’s Park game.

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allan maitland after east fife victory

Inevitably at this time of the season I think that the team that needs to win tends to do that and we have seen that in games recently. Today, we needed to win much more than East Fife did and that is no disrespect to anybody it is not a question of us playing better that them – we needed to win much more than them which meant that when the ball was there to be won we had a bit more energy and drive and I think that was the crucial factor, especially in the first half. We knew that with East Fife’s position, in the middle of the league and the change of manager would give them a boost for a start, so they would probably start the game well but with them being stuck in the middle of the division they had nothing to play for. When they went 2-0 down it was hardly going to be all out assault trying to get back into it – it was going to be game that was killed for them and I think we did that very well. It was a big game for debutants Gary Carroll and Marc McCafferty and I though the two of them were excellent. Brown Ferguson and John Grant gave us so much energy in the middle of the park, I think that was a crucial thing. Stuart Noble played his last game for us and he has done really well without scoring as many goals as we would have liked and I was pleased today that he left on a high rather than a low from last week, today he did well and scored a goal and having the front two players today scoring goals helps. Everything went for us today a shutout, no penalties against us which East Fife usually get – all in all it has been a very good day for us. Before this game we had big decisions to make for team selection today, with Dougie Wilson having fractured his ankle last week and Dougie Hill having pneumonia but the players who have come in have been fantastic.

A controversial 65th minute penalty, secured a 1-0 win for East Fife against “The Wasps” in a match which Alloa Athletic will look back and wonder how they lost. The spot kick was awarded by referee Stephen Finnie after a push on Paul McManus by Dougie Hill was deemed to have prevented a goal scoring opportunity, despite the striker being a good few yards away from the ball and keeper Michael White looking to have had the situation under control.

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Allan Maitland after East Fife game

It was a farcical decision and a farcical result. Dougie Hill simply blocked Paul McManus and it was never a penalty in a million years. That is now three penalties East Fife have had against us this season and all of them are dubious. The referee has given them a lifeline even though it was our inability to take chances that cost us the game. We controlled the game in the first half so to say that I’m disappointed is an understatement. We’ve played East fife twice this season, had three penalties against us, and all of them were dubious.

David Baikie – East Fife manager

The penalty, I don’t know, but ten minutes earlier Greig McDonald had been penalised for a similar thing and they got a free kick from it, so maybe the referee was just being consistent. We got three points without playing well, but three points is three points.