Alloa Athletic -vs- Stenhousemuir (Saturday 17 August 2024)

[Old Fashioned Stramash]

Sorry, misunderstood. Aye, it'll be interesting to see what condition he can get himself back into and if he can sustain it over the season.

Going by an interview in the Falkirk Herald, he seems fairly determined to be an influence and doesn't want to 'stroll around' in League 1.  Eager to get back to playing all of the time. So, it seems his attitude is in the right place to do it.

 

[Ataboy]

Just seen the entry fee tomorrow. £20 that is a disgrace 

[WeeWelshy007]

5 minutes ago, Ataboy said:

Just seen the entry fee tomorrow. £20 that is a disgrace 

ye it's not the best price especially for lower league games

[Waspie]

On 15/08/2024 at 10:07, printer said:

Similar to the first two league games, I'm not sure what to expect v a Stenny team I haven't seen play. I do expect it to be a tough game which could go either way.

Hopefully we have a full squad to choose from so that Kurtis comes back in (for Miko ). Personally I'd also start Cammy over Buchanan wide right.

There's a good argument for keeping changes to a minimum to allow things to full bed down and it wouldn't surprise me if Andy goes down this route.

We've certainly had a lot of changes so far with injuries and suspensions. Clearly still need a couple of additions and hopefully there are loans imminent, but it's been a bit unfortunate too that we haven't been able to get the best out of the established players so far with a lot of enforced changes in defence and midfield.

Bit of debate last week about Stevie Hetherington but I'd have no concerns there. To me the bigger issue in the deeper midfield two so far has been Kurtis Roberts, who ended up being a bit of a revelation last season. Suspect he has been struggling with injury as while his performances have been ok he hasn't brought the same energy, hasn't been finishing games and obviously didn't play at all last week. If we can get him 100% again and motoring alongside Stevie in CM, get a settled CB pairing bedded in from the different options we have, keep Scougall and LD fit further up to compete for the 10 role, and add a bit more pace/guille wide, and another striking option, then we won't be far away. The St Johnstone game offered a glimpse of what we can do but as it stands it's still very much a work in progress. 

Agree about Buchanan. He definitely deserves a good shot over the season at moving from effective impact sub to regular starter. Hasn't done enough in the decent run he's had so far though and Cammy or Nevans are due a crack soon. 

[Rory]

Is Rankin injured? Hopefully nothing major and he's back soon. I'd have been tempted to stick LD up front, move Kev into LD position in the middle of the midfield three and bring Nevans or Cammy in on the left.

Feel we play too many long balls when Sammon is up top. Can't fault his work rate or effort but he's not suited to long balls pumped up to him

[Nigel Blackwell]

Three games in , and three tight matches, but until we can get a goalscorer in the squad we're going to end up on the wrong side of these results too often. 

Even when faced with a one on one against the keeper we don't look like scoring.

[Magic Hat]

That game was absolutely brutal and we were very lucky to win. The quality of football from both teams was really poor.  Thought Calum Waters and PJ were our best players. A win is a win but for £20 would prefer to be entertained.

Edited August 17 by Magic Hat

[printer]

Important three points and I thought we just about deserved it, despite not playing well for much of the ninety minutes.

Until the three subs came on our passing wasn't slick enough. The most incisive passing move of the game led to Sammo's goal, although I couldn't see how he finished. 

Stenny were decent enough and their front three caused us some problems although not as much as our own indecision and dawdling on the ball did. They were solid defensively.

I thought Buchanan, Watters and Hetherington were much sharper this week, while LD was less so. Sammo was Sammo, worked hard, looked ineffective at times, but popped up with the winner.

Kurtis looked more like the player of last season, but not quite 100% there yet.

Big Neill made a difference when he came on (as Andy says in his interview). Must be a decent chance he'll start against Annan and Tommy Goss.

Ref gave a lot of soft fouls, but was consistent in this.

ETA Will be interested in Stenny fans' views.

 

Edited August 17 by printer

[laughing gravie]

5 minutes ago, Magic Hat said:

That game was absolutely brutal and we were very lucky to win. The quality of football from both teams was really poor.  Thought Calum Waters and PJ were our best players. A win is a win but for £20 would prefer to be entertained.

£20 and confined to a very limited area in the ground.

I personally thought the better team won, and 1-0 definitely was accurate for the day's work.

It's still only 3 games into the season,  and a win is a win. Occasionally you have to do this "dirty".

Question for Warrior fans, Has Tom Daily joined your coaching staff by any chance  

[Sixtyten]

We looked the better team after the hour-mark subs, but overall it was turgid stuff.

3 points and a clean sheet were the all important positives, otherwise one to forget.

[WeeWelshy007]

6 hours ago, Rory said:

Is Rankin injured? Hopefully nothing major and he's back soon. I'd have been tempted to stick LD up front, move Kev into LD position in the middle of the midfield three and bring Nevans or Cammy in on the left.

Feel we play too many long balls when Sammon is up top. Can't fault his work rate or effort but he's not suited to long balls pumped up to him

rankin damaged his ankle looking at a short term out nothing too serious 

[Vimto90]

A draw would have been about right but moving up a league these tight either ways will be regular, especially if we can't find our scoring boots. 

Taggart strolled it for the wasps. Jacobs probably our best player. 

We are right behind this group as always and hopefully a positive result v Cove.

[Francesc Fabregas]

I think a draw might have been the most appropriate outcome but fair play to Andy Graham, he made the correct substitutions at the correct time and they ultimately combined to set up Conor Sammon for the winning goal. I'll need to see it again but it looked like he sclaffed his shot, wrong-footing Darren Jamieson, to send the ball over the line. Up until that point, there hadn't been much between the teams; there wasn't much between them afterwards either.

I thought Alloa Athletic started the better side. There are some good ball players in their team and they were happy enough to knock it around and pass through our press. Kurtis Roberts tried to get his team going and Stephen Buchanan looked quite handy on the right but there was a lack of quality up top that prevented them from really getting in on goal. Sammon worked hard but little came off for him and Luke Donnelly didn't leave much of an impression. The best chance came when Buchanan charged towards the byline and cut the ball back for, I think, Kevin Cawley who rattled it low past the post.

But Stenhousemuir grew into the game and had the two best chances in the first half. The first came when Matty Aitken was slipped through one on one with PJ Morrison but blasted his shot at the goalkeeper - it was a poor effort because it felt like such a clear-cut opportunity wouldn't come around again. The second came when Ross Taylor hung up a ball towards the back post for Euan O'Reilly to head home, but Morrison stretched and slapped the ball away.

The first 15 minutes of the second half were terrible and both sides could have made changes, but Graham went first and brought on three players, including Stefan Scougall, and his introduction saw the home side play through the lines instead of going long. He had a couple of neat forward passes before exchanging the ball with Cammy O'Donnell to tee up Sammon with a cross into the box. Could Kyle Banner have done better? Maybe. I was surprised our first change was to bring on Adam Brown instead of Matty Yates. Our subs didn't make much of a difference and a dull game petered out.

If you want to look on the bright side, we competed well against one of the better sides in the division and lost out to a preventable goal. But there were a couple of things I wasn't too keen on today. I didn't like Mikey Anderson pushed up as a number 10 - he's much better utilised in the middle of the park - and I don't think we can leave a player of Matty Yates' quality on the bench. Also, and I appreciate he's had limited game time, but I'm yet to see what Blair Alston is bringing to the party. I'd like to see him from the start against Cove Rangers next week.

A point dropped, I say.

[WeeWelshy007]

35 minutes ago, Francesc Fabregas said:

I think a draw might have been the most appropriate outcome but fair play to Andy Graham, he made the correct substitutions at the correct time and they ultimately combined to set up Conor Sammon for the winning goal. I'll need to see it again but it looked like he sclaffed his shot, wrong-footing Darren Jamieson, to send the ball over the line. Up until that point, there hadn't been much between the teams; there wasn't much between them afterwards either.

I thought Alloa Athletic started the better side. There are some good ball players in their team and they were happy enough to knock it around and pass through our press. Kurtis Roberts tried to get his team going and Stephen Buchanan looked quite handy on the right but there was a lack of quality up top that prevented them from really getting in on goal. Sammon worked hard but little came off for him and Luke Donnelly didn't leave much of an impression. The best chance came when Buchanan charged towards the byline and cut the ball back for, I think, Kevin Cawley who rattled it low past the post.

But Stenhousemuir grew into the game and had the two best chances in the first half. The first came when Matty Aitken was slipped through one on one with PJ Morrison but blasted his shot at the goalkeeper - it was a poor effort because it felt like such a clear-cut opportunity wouldn't come around again. The second came when Ross Taylor hung up a ball towards the back post for Euan O'Reilly to head home, but Morrison stretched and slapped the ball away.

The first 15 minutes of the second half were terrible and both sides could have made changes, but Graham went first and brought on three players, including Stefan Scougall, and his introduction saw the home side play through the lines instead of going long. He had a couple of neat forward passes before exchanging the ball with Cammy O'Donnell to tee up Sammon with a cross into the box. Could Kyle Banner have done better? Maybe. I was surprised our first change was to bring on Adam Brown instead of Matty Yates. Our subs didn't make much of a difference and a dull game petered out.

If you want to look on the bright side, we competed well against one of the better sides in the division and lost out to a preventable goal. But there were a couple of things I wasn't too keen on today. I didn't like Mikey Anderson pushed up as a number 10 - he's much better utilised in the middle of the park - and I don't think we can leave a player of Matty Yates' quality on the bench. Also, and I appreciate he's had limited game time, but I'm yet to see what Blair Alston is bringing to the party. I'd like to see him from the start against Cove Rangers next week.

A point dropped, I say.

Stenny defended well against Alloa's chances although i think everyone can agree stenny had the best chance of the first half 2nd half needed some changed in order for it to properly start but alloa took their chances and found the back of the net 

even though stenny only have 3 points from a possible 9 they still look a strong side and could do well this season especially with players like Wedderburn, Buchanan and DJ

[LeodhasXD]

 

[KierenAAFC]

Wasn’t much in the game at all today but really important Alloa got off the mark with their first league victory of the season. 
 

Got a little bit tired in the first half of saying ‘Buchanan heads it clear’. Although it was even in the first half, Stenny edged it with the chances. Aitken has to do better with his but never looked like a striker confident of tucking it away. 
 

Second half substitutes changed the whole game. O’Donnell and Scougall brought the ball down and actually played some football. No surprise they were the architect of the goal. 
 

Sammo takes his stick on here and the terraces but never from me. Love that man. Not vintage stuff today but rarely does he disappoint when it comes to getting on the scoresheet. Lovely ball from Canmy. 
 

Something to build on for Andy. Getting guys like Scougall back fit, in the team, and one or two loanee options attacking wise will hopefully kick us on another gear. 
 

Good to be back on comm’s and in good company too. Hopefully not too long till I’m back up the road for another dose of Andy Graham’s title-chasing Waspies.

[Am Featha Taigh Nan Clach]

Alloa did to us what we did to a lot of teams last year. Only be marinally better but manage to take one of their chances while being sound defensively. Fair play!

 

[LoganAAFC]

That ball in by Cammy O'Donnell for the goal , utter magic

[Neilly]

I felt we were the better team for the first hour and, as has been mentioned, should have been ahead at the break with the Aitken chance. Alloa were slow and cumbersome moving the ball from the back into midfield and were pressed well for the most part causing them a bit of bother in terms of bookings and giving away dangerous territory.

Even the first 15 of the second half it wasn't a great spectacle but we seemed the aggressor. Jacobs picking up the scraps in midfield and Ross Taylor having the right back on toast any time he got the ball and went at him.

The game changed after the hour though. Alloa made three subs and they all had an impact. Morgyn Neill shored them up in the air, Scougall started to find pockets behind our midfield and for me O'Donnel was their brightest spark in the short time he was on the park - his give and go and then cross for the Sammon goal was first class and high quality stuff. Yes, we might look at it and think some players should do better there but sometimes you just have to put your hands up and say you were done by a class bit of play.

Ross Taylor was replaced by Adam Brown just before the goal as well which removed any attacking impetuous we had. I think at that time Yates for Aitken seemed the obvious sub - big Matty had put in a monster shift and it was time to give them a different problem on the deck - particularly with Morgyn Neill on. Unless Matty Yates was carrying an injury I have no idea why he didn't start the game or at the very least come on after 60 minutes with the way the game was playing out.

We have to take the positives from the game and I think there are many - the main one being we competed very well with a team who will likely be in the play offs at the end of the season. There could be a lot of games like this over the season as the league is wide open but we need to be more clinical as we go. 

Two home games to come let's try and get 4-6 points here to really calm us down and kick on.

[Oweny]

A poor game yesterday but a welcome result. We are lacking up top and we are nowhere near the threat especially in the wide areas that we need to be. I always thought Roberts came to life and played his best football beside Miko especially January onwards last season. 

Hopefully some additions in soon but a welcome result and unbeaten.