Published: Thursday, 1st May, 2008 12:00
Wasps secure vital play-off lead
By John Simpson
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Alloa players celebrate the winning goal with scorer Adam Coakley.
Pic by: Jan van der Merwe
Alloa Athletic 2 v 1 Clyde
IN a great effort at Recreation Park on Wednesday evening, Alloa Athletic took a step nearer to a promotion place with a narrow but valuable victory.
Clyde, desperately trying to avoid dropping down into the Second Division faced a well prepared Alloa who will now make their way to Broadwood Stadium on Saturday, hoping to finish the job in the second leg which would give them a place against Airdrie or Raith Rovers in the two-leg final next week.
The visitors were without former Rangers star Jorg Albertz but whether he would have been able to force a victory will not be known because Alloa were on top form throughout the entire match.
Alloa manager Allan Maitland said, “Tonight we played an open attack-minded team to get at Clyde. It was a good game and Clyde, to be fair, had a good spell and we had to dig in and concentrate.
“I’m under no illusions that it will be a really tough match on Saturday. Clyde will put us under pressure and we’ve got to make sure we can stand up to it.
“There’s goals in us and away from home we’ve been good. I just hope we can manage it again on Saturday.”
The atmosphere was electric from the start with 1026 Supporters watching, but it was Allan Maitland's boys who looked the likelier side in the early play.
Scott Agnew set the tone in 11 minutes, crashing a strong shot off Clyde's right post with John Grant then driving wide of the upright soon after.
When the Broadwood side eventually got moving from midfield Gary Arbuckle and Chris Higgins had shots from inside the box blocked by Fraser Forrest and Chris Townsley.
But when play went back to the raiway end home striker Graeme Brown turned cleverly but his shot was saved low by David Hutton in 19 minutes.
There was a scare for the visitors three minutes later, their best defender Neil McGregor back headed to his keeper but the ball dropped dangerously short. However Hutton saved before Brown could pounce.
Again the Wasps raced forward, Andy Scott testing Hutton just before Townsley tidied up for Alloa at the opposite end as Arbuckle broke into the box.
Then, just what the home fans had been waiting for – Alloa found the net in 31 minutes. Agnew's short cross from the left was mis-kicked by Andy Ferguson but Scott moved in to drive well away from Hutton at the left corner.
Within minutes of the restart the Wasps were looking for a second sting when Andy Ferguson cut in from the right but his shot was turned for a corner by McGregor, the hardest working Clyde defender. Ferguson tried once more but again his shot deflected off McGregor for a corner.
Clyde were now moving with more style but Ruary McLennans's 55 minute slipped past the left post.
However, with 63 minutes gone the visitors were awarded a free kick. leaving midfielder Steven Masterton to blast round the home defensive wall and into the net.
Excitement grew with Fleming's well-hit free kick saved by Clyde keeper Hutton at the left post but better was to follow for Alloa.
As referee David Somers looked at his watch to see there were eight minutes remaining, substitute Adam Coakley turned hero, cutting in from the left to fire in the winner from a tight angle.
So that was it . . . Alloa now look forward to Saturday afernoon, hoping to produce another victory and a final place.
Clyde manager John Brown said, “I think Alloa had a game plan. We came back in the second half but with two slack goals I think maybe some of the boys thought they just had to turn up. We didn’t show enough desire.”
ALLOA. – Jellema, McClune, Fleming, Townsley, Forrest, Grant, Scott (Coakley 71), McKeown, A Ferguson (B Ferguson 78), Agnew, Brown (Macaulay 66), unused subs Hodge, Bruce
CLYDE. – Hutton, McGregor, W Gibson, Higgins, Bestvina, Masterton (Gibson 79), McKay (Bradley 46), Ruari MacLennan, Arbuckle (D McGowan 84), Clarke, M McGowan, unused Roddy MacLennan, Cherrie
Referee: D Somers
Attendance: 1026
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