Reaction

The Wasps recorded their biggest victory of the season scoring five goals against a very good Arbroath side, winning 5-3 on the evening after scoring three goals within the opening fifteen minutes in the only game which beat the weather last night at The Indodrill Stadium. This was “The Wasps” biggest victory since defeating Brechin City 6-1 on 15th April, 2017.

Jim Goodwin’s side got off to the perfect start, when Arbroath striker Leighton McIntosh handled the ball under pressure from Scott Taggart after only six minutes and Garry Fleming stepped up to fire an unstoppable strike from the spot to give Alloa the lead and Garry’s first goal for the club. Three minutes later Ross Stewart scored the first of his three goals on the evening to make it 2-0 with a bullet header.

And with “The Wasps” in total dominance Ross Stewart made it 3-0 after only fifteen minutes as the onslaught continued.

This was just the start the manager had asked his players for after a disappointing first half at Stair Park. Arbroath did pull a goal back on 39 minutes when Michael McKenna headed home, but such was “The Wasps” threat in front of goal that it was no surprise when Ross Stewart latched onto a poor O’Brien header to regain the three goal advantage at 4-1.

In the second period Arbroath came back into the game and had good possession but Alloa always looked dangerous. Bobby Linn did pull another goal back at 4-2 ten minutes into the second period which gave the visitors some hope. Alloa fought back into the game and were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty kick, when ex Wasp Colin Hamilton pushed scott Taggart in the box as he headed just wide of the target.

Visiting keeper David Hutton then pulled off two remarkable saves, firstly from Jordan Kirkpatrick and then a header from Ross Stewart as “The Wasps” looked to extend their lead.

Only a goal line clearance kept “The Wasps” out before substitute Iain Flannigan got that important fifth goal eleven minutes from time.

Ross Stewart’s hat-trick was first since Geig Spence scoring 3 against Brechin City in Play-Off final 2nd leg at Indodrill Stadium on 20th May, 2017. The match also marked Kevin Cawley making his 250th appearance for the club, the first person to do since Ross Hamilton in Season 2006/07.

jim goodwin after victory at arbroath

I couldn’t have been any happier at half-time to be honest with you and I think if we had came in, without being disrespectful to Arbroath, if we had came in seven nil up at half-time there couldn’t have been too many arguments, Scott Taggart has one cleared off the line and there were another couple of chances as well. I was over the moon at how we started the game, we spoke about that before the game, and how we have been slow from the first minute, but today I felt we were on the front foot from the beginning of the game and being 3-0 up after fifteen minutes, the quality of the goals as well as the football was really pleasing on the eye.

The second half we didn’t play to that standard again, it’s the old cliché of goals changing games, we were 4-1 comfortable in the lead before we lost a goal when the ball went through big Neil Parry’s legs, these things happen, Big Neil, in my opinion is the best goalkeeper in the league, we are very lucky to have him but unfortunately that goal goes in and it causes a little bit of tension if you like around the place and we just kind of lost our way for ten minutes after that but again we played ourselves back into the game, I felt we did that and had another couple of great chances, their goalkeeper David Hutton made a couple of fantastic saves firstly from Jordan Kirkpatrick which he tipped over the bar and the header from Ross Stewart which he saved with his feet – we could have scored more goals, I made that challenge to the boys prior to the game, defensively we have been outstanding this season, we have the second best defensive record in the league but we have been falling short in front of goal and I felt with the quality of players we have and have brought to the club in January as well we should be putting teams to the sword more than what we have been and I think against a team as well organised as Arbroath and are doing as well, for us to go and score five goals against them is absolutely fantastic. I’m delighted for the boys up front but we could have been a bit better in the second half, I thought we could have managed the game better but if you had offered me five goals and three points before the game I would have bitten the hand of you.

Delighted for Ross to get his first ever hat-trick he is a fantastic talent, a player I have a lot of time for, he is a great boy as well with a good attitude loves the game and it wasn’t that long ago he was playing junior football he got his opportunity with Albion Rovers where he caught the eye, it has been well documented that I tried to get him but as soon as a full-time club came in for him you expect the boy to take that opportunity. I still think there is more to come from him, he leads the line well but he is not just a target man, he is very mobile for a big boy he has great feet and he has an eye for goal, long may that continue we have a busy period coming up now so it is a great time for us to start scoring goals like that.

Garry Fleming scored his first goal for the club with a brilliant penalty, he struck it really well, really pleased for “Gazz” he has been very consistent for us over the last couple of months but I am delighted for the whole team I don’t like singling out players – Ross Stewart will get all the plaudits in the press and deservedly so but Callum Crane, Jamie McCart were fantastic, I thought Iain Flannigan made a difference when he came on as well, everybody contributed and we will take a lot of confidence from the game and have another great game on Saturday to look forward to against Queen’s Park, everybody loves going to Hampden Park so the boys will look forward to that one and I will have a problem picking a team now!

Special night for Kevin Cawley making his 250^th first team appearance, Kevin is a great professional, I was very fortunate when I took over the job with the kind of characters in the dressing room – likes of Kevin Cawley, Iain Flannigan, even Graeme Holmes who has now left, these were boys at this club prior to me coming, Kevin had left previously but it shows how we try to do things at this club that we were able to encourage him back and for Kevin to do 250 games with any club these days is a great achievement and listen he has got another 100 in the bag if he wants because he is like the “energizer bunny” he just never stops running and he doesn’t look like he is ever going to get old he is like “Peter Pan” so we are delighted to have him and I know other managers, which I won’t name who would love to have him as well, we are very lucky to have him and we could all do with more “Kevin Cawleys”.