Reaction

This was another game in which the conditions were to be the winner, however Alloa can be pleased to come back from Peterhead with a point in a battling display which for effort alone deserved the draw. Manager Allan Maitland had hoped to include Iain Russell in the side after the stiker had played and scored in the midweek bounce game against Forfar Athletic, when “The Wasps” won 6-0, with six different scorers but Iain had a reoccurance of the the injury and pulled out prior to kick off, David McClune however did return after not featuring since the Dundee United cup tie at the end of August. Scott Walker might have given the visitors the lead in the first half but headed brother in law, Brown Ferguson’s free kick over the bar. Two minutes later it was the end of the game for Hugh Kerr who was making his full debut for the first team, 27 minutes into the game Shug was caught by a high tackle from Stuart Smith on the right wing which saw him stretched off the park and later requiring three stitches in a knee injury to his right knee, Smith was only booked. Three minutes later Peterhead were awarded a penalty when Graeme Sharp was adjudged to have his shirt pulled by David McClune, David Crawford’s save from recently signed John Stewart was out of the top drawer. In the second half conditions worsened which affected the play and the Alloa support who had came to the game in fancy dress, who must be applauded for their commitment and support – the horse, the cow, Dracula and Ginger Spice and many more helping the team to a shut out. Indeed Andy Scott might have won the points late in the game but his shot into the wind went high over the bar.

allan maitland after draw at peterhead

Difficult conditions for both teams today, it is incredible the game ended nothing each, I think they had great chances and our goal keeper had a magnificent save from the penalty kick but equally we had good chances, Brown Ferguson had one he should have squared to Mark Gilhaney and Andy Scott near the end there were lots of balls flying across the box but conditions made it difficult for either team to get the ball down in play and I thought the efforts of both sets of players was fantastic on a very very difficult day and it got worse as the day went on. Certainly from our point of view on the back of our recent results we are pleased to get a shut out, to get a point and on a day like this we will happily take a point and head down the road. Before the start of today’s game we had the disappointment of Iain Russell’s injury re-occurring and Hugh Kerr being stretchered off on his full debut, in a rash tackle which required three stitches in his right knee, I don’t think there was any malice in the tackle but on a different day the referee might have sent the Peterhead player off. Mark Gilhaney damaged his ham string, Chris Townsley had to go off unwell and the dreaded lurgy has affected the team as Andy Scott is being sick at the moment and Brian Carrigan has also been sick. I think it’s a fantastic point for us, a great effort by the players and we will head down the road quite happy with that. It is important for us to start picking up in our home games but I am pleased with the shut out and the effort was brilliant.