Alloa fail to score in pre-season opener

Jamie MacDonald • Published 8 Jul 2009 14:11 0 Comments

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Alloa Athletic 0 - Albion Rovers 2

ALLAN MAITLAND praised his new goalkeeper following this closed-door friendly game on Saturday afternoon at Recreation Park.

The manager said, 'Although we did not find the net, this was an excellent pre-season day for us. We trained in the morning then had a good exercise with the ball against Albion Rovers in the afternoon.

'We did lose our touch a bit in the first 25 minutes when Rovers played good football but our new goalkeeper David Crawford from Queen"s Park was in excellent form, making some good saves.

'After that we got ourselves into the game but the second half was really for giving our triaists and younger players a run-out.

'Albion Rovers were sharper and better than us and deserved their victory but overall it was a good exercise for us.'

Maitland added, 'We are now looking forward to the Oban Tournament this Saturday then we meet Stenhosemuir at Recreation Park on Tuesday 14 July in the opening round of the Stirlingshire Cup.

'We are also looking forward to our first trip of the new season on Saturday 25 July when we make the long journey to Dingwall to meet Ross County in the first round of the Challenge Cup.'

Before that the Alloa manager will be trying to bring in one or two additional players, by which time Brown Ferguson and Scott Walker will have returned from holiday and in full training.

One man delighted with the result at the Recs on Saturday was Albion Rovers manager Paul Martin who - along with his assistant Todd Lumsden joining up with the squad from Raith Rovers - appear to have put together a group of players with flair and style.

Martin told Advertiser Sport after the match, 'Sometimes you cannot take too much out of pre-season friendly matches but we looked really good today.

'Fitness is an amazing thing and that was what brought us the victory. We always looked comfortable on the ball so this was a really good work-out for our boys.'

Martin, who is a former Rovers and Dumbarton player will have his eye set on having a go at challenging for a Division 2 place next season. He said, 'We will bring in ex-Stenhousemuir player Paul Tyrrell, who was at a wedding today, also Danny Ferry and Mark McCusker as we prepare for the new season.'

Rovers were on the move in only three minutes with Bobby Barr (son of former Wasp Bobby) cutting into the box but was denied the opener when debutant keeper Crawford stopped his 18 yard shot.

Crawford"s eye was certainly in for he produced further saves from Pat Walker with his outstretched legs before stopping Barr"s drive at the near post.

Alloa were slow starters in fact had other escapes in 12 and 18 minutes when Crawford saved Pollock"s 10 yard drive and another from Boyle who sprinted through the home defence.

Alloa settled but when Scot Agnew - returning to Recreation Park on a six month loan from Ayr United - collected a David McClune long pass but could not finish from 18 yards.

John Grant did well to hold off two challlenges from the visiting defence in 33 minutes before driving strongly for the right corner. it looked like the opener but Jamie Ewings dived across his goal to push the ball for a corner.

Following the flag-kick young Wasp Gary Carroll shot out at the Rovers right corner as Alloa came back strongly. Stuart Noble, last season"s on-loan man from Airdrie saw his strong shot deflected round the Roves post but an even better chance was missed three minutes before the interval

Andy Scott, the former Cumbernauld Junior striker, was perfectly positioned in front of the Rovers" goal but clipped the ball past the right post from six yards.

In the second half Alloa brought on Mark Ferguson, Chris Merrylees, Jamie Hay, Stevie Barker, Adam Coakley, Mark Docherty, Steve McClune and keeper Stevie Hall.

Rovers brought on keeper Gaston for the second half and later Alan Montgomery, Brandon Crozier and Paul Stewart.

Within minutes of the restart Steve McClune cut in strongly from the home right to win a corner followed by another strong run by Mark Docherty which produced another corner but the Wasps could not capitalise.

Instead, the visitors opened their account in 64 minutes after Hall pushed out a Barr effort, leaving Walker to finish from close range.

Before the Wasps could hit back Rovers added their second goal in 70 minutes. Walker featured once more, turning Buist before setting up Mark Pollock to finish well.

In a good finish from the Cliftonhill side Pollock had a strong shot saved by Hall then the young Rovers man drove strongly against the bar with Brandon Crozier heading just over the home bar.

ALLOA: Crawford Scott, Townsley, Spence, Agnew, Carroll, D. McClune, McCafferty, Buist, Grant, Noble.

ALBION ROVERS: Ewings, Reid, McKeown, Benton, Lumsden, Barr, Canning, Pollock, Walker, Boyle.

Referee: Brian Colvin.

This article appeared in Alloa & Hillfoots Advertiser 09 Jul 09

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