Alloa have definitely had better afternoons.

Two former Wasps struck early with Callum Smith making a tidy run in behind, which was well picked out by McInroy, slotting underneath David Hutton to give the Diamonds the lead in just the second minute.

Calum Gallagher would prove tenacious enough to overcome Mark Durnan as both raced to the right channel from a hopeful long ball – but the Alloa goalkeeper, ill advisedly, charged out to leave himself in no mans land and Gallagher netted from a wide angle into the open goal.

Alloa’s best chance of the half would fall to Henderson. Gilmour picked out the advancing full-back Taggart, and he pinpointedly crossed to the on-loan Hearts striker. However, leaning back, he could only blaze over from inside the 18 yard box.

At half time, changes were necessary and they were delivered. Cameron O’Donnell was sacrificed for Conor Sammon while Fernandy Mendy replaced Andy Graham.

Hutton was called into action early by Gallagher with a low save but the loudest shout came from the Airdrie fans calling for an indirect free-kick after Hutton collected the awkward touch of Mendy.

But ignoring that early blip the changes were creating uncertainty for the Diamonds. With Sammon and Henderson, playing up front together. Sammon  was free to exploit the channel, and with a stepover drive towards the Airdrieonian’s goal. But even with the brilliant  build-up he could only screw his finish past the 6 yard box past the relieved Curry.

On 50 minutes, Durnan headed what looked to be a lifeline goal, but he strayed a yard offside in the build-up and accurately had his effort chalked off. Just 10 minutes later Alloa would kick themselves for not scoring when on top.

On the boundary of the 18 yard box, Kerr McInroy unleashed a piledriver through a crowd of Alloa players. The precision finish smashed the top corner of the net and added to the increasing mountain that Alloa found themselves under.

4 minutes later, Euan Henderson returned to goals via Church’s deep free-kick and Durnan’s aerial ability. He tapped home at the back post to give Alloa a possible foothold to bring themselves back in the game.

However, things looked grim minutes later, as Easton tripped over Cawley’s leg and was duly awarded a penalty. McCabe stepped up to spot kick duty. Although Hutton guessed correctly, he was beaten but the CB could not beat the bar and it ricocheted back and out of danger.

Easton was again a menace as he collected from a corner on the edge of the box. His first effort was blocked but the second attempt on his left foot was wickedly dipping towards Hutton’s goal. It rattled to post and bounced to safety as Airdrie threatened from a series of dangerous corners.

Easton would again strike the woodwork after a quick Airdrie counterattack culminated in two quick feints opening the space for a daisy cutter but the number 10 failed to convert again.

Alloa did land a golden opportunity after Adam King’s cross was fumbled by Currie after colliding with one of his own defenders. Senna was first to the ball although a myriad of Airdrieonian’s defenders blocked his route to goal he dinked it up and over for Sammon to finish. The Irishman couldn’t direct the effort goallwards with the ball harmlessly landing on the roof of the net.

Henderson would almost half the deficit with a late consolation after Mendy’s terrific dink  but Currie just managed to slap away the chance of the brace and the unlikely Alloa fightback.

After results elsewhere, we drop to 8th, picking up just two points of a possible eighteen and eight points in the last ten games.

After a pleasing performance and result against Falkirk on Saturday, Alloa stuttered to a uninspiring defeat in Airdrie. The first 45 minutes of the game at the Excelsior Stadium was a languid affair with Alloa having plenty of the ball but proving powerless to penetrate a packed Diamonds defence. After a couple of early snapshots went wide the home side took the lead from Alloa’s slackness. Niang who was a hero against Falkirk turned villain as he gave the ball away cheaply, Airdrie counter-attacked and the whipped cross found the head of Gallagher who had drifted off the back of Fernandy Mendy. While Hutton managed to stand up to the opening effort it would only ricochet back to the Airdrie striker to finish left-footed high into the net. Despite the deficit, Alloa were struggling to inject some tempo into the game and despite, their at times, neat interplay Currie in the Airdrie goal was rarely called into action.

As the second half started things became even worse for the Wasps as Adam Frizzell curled an outside of the right-boot effort around Hutton from 25 yards. Boyd almost sparked a reply as his quick feet beat two Airdrie defenders and subsequently won a corner. Durnan was unmarked around 6 yards, sending it past the goallie only to be cleared from the line.

Quick reactions from the visiting bench as on came Church and Sammon for Cawley and Niang. Sammon had an instant impact. Holding the ball up and running in the pocket, he one-two’d with Scougall and then opened his body up to swerve around Max Currie and find the bottom corner. It makes it two goals in two substitute appearances for Sammon after his effort to secure the Falkirk win on Saturday. Things could have been even better for the big Irishman as Taggart whipped in an effort and he could only head directly at the Airdrie keeper. Momentum swung towards Alloa, but despite the flow of play towards the Airdrie goal, they could not find that decisive equaliser and as the Airdrie players broke up the games’ momentum, it meandered towards a home victory and an Alloa disappointment.

After Saturday’s 2-2 draw and both Alloa & Airdrie putting out exactly the same line-ups for both games, three days later it might have been a long shot to expect this game also to finish 2-2.

Airdrieonians went in front with a goal out of the top drawer, but their second goal prior to half-time was very contentious, credit to Alloa for fighting back and the penalty award and conversion by Garry Fleming was crucial prior to half-time.

Once the second half restarted Alloa took control, lifted the tempo of their game and had the home side on the back foot.

Alloa were now dominating the game with Fleming & Hetherington bossing the midfield and Kirkpatrick & Stewart causing the Airdrie defence huge problems. It was no surprise on 67 minutes when Jordan Kirkpatrick scored the equalising goal, Game On 2-2.

At this stage in the game there only looked one winner but unfortunately on the evening we had to settle for another 2-2 draw, with the points shared. Airdrieonians having now not lost in a league fixture at home since 16th September, 2017, now eleven games in the league at home unbeaten.

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jim goodwin after repeat scoreline at excelsior

Absolutely delighted with the second half performance, I thought the players were outstanding in team spirit and togetherness, I think we were camped in Airdrie’s half for probably about half an hour in the second half. We had lots of opportunities, lots of chances, could have scored more goals again if we had been a little bit more clinical and tidier up around the eighteen yard line. We obviously missed a penalty, I think if the penalty had gone in it would have gone on to be three or four.

The first half there was nothing in the game apart from a wonder strike from Darryl Duffy and the potential hand ball in the build up to their second goal, but really pleased to come in at 2-1. Delighted with the referee to have the courage to give the first penalty, sometimes you don’t get them particularly away from home. At half-time the message was “We know we can play better” and we did, that was as good a half an hour of football probably we have put together in a long time. There were so many performances individually but collectively as a team we looked great and I can’t remember Airdrie having too many opportunities in the second half without being disrespectful I thought they had looked a threat in the first half, at times it looked like we have an attack, you have an attack and it was like a game of tennis at times but second half we completely dominated, anybody at the game would see we dominated the game and if any team was going to go on and win the game it definitely was us.

We are disappointed not to take the three points but when you go 2-0 behind, if somebody offers you a point at half-time you would take it, but on the balance of the second half and how we dominated and created chances I think even the most biased Airdrie fan would probably admit we were the better team – but that’s football at the end of the day, it’s another point towards where we want to get to and now look forward to Saturday.

This is a game “The Wasps” will not want to look back at, in the first half neither team created many clear cut chances but in the second half there was no doubting Airdrieonians deserved their victory. Decsisions can change matches and certainly the penalty for the opening goal looked harsh. In these games the opening goal has proved vital in games already this season. Kevin Cawley was very unfortunate not to score a great equaliser for “The Wasps” his netbound shot striking the post before the rebound was struck over the bar by the onrushing Scott Taggart.

However most contentious decision in the match was the when Airdrieonians keeper Rohan Ferguson was not penalised for what clearly looked like he handled the ball outside his box?

In the second half the home side began to get on top and always looked likely to increase their lead. Alloa manager Jim Goodwin introduced Kris Renton and young Celtic loanee PJ Crossan before the hour mark, PJ’s pace and getting in behind their defence did begin to work before he pulled up with what looked like a hamstring injury, this reduced “The Wasps” to 10 players as all three substitutes had been made.

With two minutes remaining Airdrie finally extended their lead when Sean McIntosh played a long ball through to Jake Hastie on the break and the young player sealed victory for Airdrieonians slipping the ball past Neil Parry in the Alloa goal.

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jim goodwin after airdrieonians 2-0 win

Very disappointed, yes very poor, I didn’t think there was much in the game up till the penalty decision, it is one of these one’s the boys adamant that Daryll didn’t foul their player when the boy went down, but the referee gives it and the first goal in games are vital to be honest with you. We had a wee chance after Airdrie took the lead but Kevin Cawley’s effort hits the post but after that we didn’t offer enough to the game. I don’t think we merited anything from the game to be honest, Airdrie were the better team on the day and we need to give them credit for that.

There was a lack of cutting edge, and we are not creating as many chances as I would like and that is something we will need to work on. A lack of goals is a concern because the first goal in this league is hugely important, you saw that last week against Queen’s Park for us and the previous week against East Fife when it was against us, both games ending 1-0. Its not a time to panic or anything like that it is still very early on in the season, we still have new signings who still have to click in place and gel with the team but we need to get it sorted sooner rather than later but really disappointed all round.

There were big decisions in the game, the penalty then when their keeper picked the ball up outside the box, my view was the same as everybody else’s in the stadium that Rohan Ferguson picked the ball up outside the box – the linesman was running right along the line but didn’t make the call, big decisions but you need a bit of bravery to make them but we can’t rely on referee’s decisions to help us win games, the fact of the matter is there were far too many of our players not at it on the day and the players know that themselves. When we play to our potential and levels we are capable of we are a very good team, when you drop below that we become average and that’s what you saw today.

After losing the second goal we also ended the game playing with only 10 players after PJ Crossan appeared to injure his ham string, there was no point leaving the kid on the park to incur more injury or run about with torn ham string, the player’s health and well being was the most important thing, it was disappointing because in the short time he was on the pitch you could see glimpses of his speed and attacking threat and he offers us a different dimension but if that is as serious as it looks he could now be out for next four – six weeks. Callum Crane also picked up a knock and was struggling with an knee injury in final quarter of the game, so that is another injury we will need to assess.

Victory yesterday against full time side Airdrieonians was important in the fact it kept the winning momentum going and the confidence up. In truth it was a game of very few chances, Jordan Kirkpatrick returning to the side after injury had the first shot of the game which was pushed over the bar, but we have to wait until three minutes before half-time before Greig Spence tested the keeper at his near post. Airdrie had come closest to opening the scoring after Joe Gorman’s header from a corner came off the woodwork, two minutes into the second half Neil Parry made a point blank save from a Jack Leitch effort. Alloa should have went ahead with the best move of the game when Greig Spence played in Dylan Mackin, but the strikers low shot was saved by Airdrie keeper. However a poor clearance from the home keeper Rohan Ferguson was punished by the alert Jordan Kirkpatrick who fired home from 25 yards to give “The Wasps” the lead.

Airdrie tried to snatch an equaliser as they fought to try and gain the 3rd or 4th play-off position with so many clubs still with a chance to clinch a place. Indeed it was Jordan Kirkpatrick who went closest to scoring again in the closing minutes in an Alloa breakaway.

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jim goodwin at airdrie

Delighted with the victory, it keeps the momentum going, keeps the confidence up and delighted with the overall performance to be honest. It would have been very easy to drop standards and everything else, before we know in our position after securing second place in the league last week, but the boys are great professionals and a great bunch and it still means an awful lot to them to go and win games, they take pride in what they do and they showed that today.

Momentum is the most important thing, we know that finishing second doesn’t guarantee you anything and nobody will remember that next year unless we do actually go up, so I keep reiterating that message time and time again “That we haven’t achieved anything yet” we take pride in finishing runners up to Livingston but at the same time our ambition and aim at the start of the season was promotion, so that is still where we need to be, but the boys were terrific today, the 1-0 today is as pleasing as the 6-1 victory last week, because of the way we defended as a team collectively today, we knew where Airdrie’s dangers would come from and our boys stuck to our game plan and denied them space in behind, defended the box really well and we looked dangerous on the break at times.

Today I had the luxury of being able to tinker with the team and the system and I was able to take three key players out from last week and put three different boys in and the level of performance never dropped and that’s a really good position for to be in

“The Wasps” slipped to fourth position in the league after Airdrieonians defeated Jim Goodwin’s side 2-1 at the Excelsior Stadium. This was a day which player/manager Jim Goodwin will want to forget, knowing he will be an easy target for the press. Having scored an own goal and getting sent off in the second half for a second bookable offence. The first half although never playing at their best, the half-time scoreline of 2-0 was cruel, given the visitors had tested the home keeper as often with efforts on goal, but Airdrie were more clinical in front of goal.

However after being reduced to ten men after Jim Goodwin was red carded in the 52nd minute it could have been a game of damage limitation, but credit to the Alloa players who battled and at times were the best team in the second half. The sending off appeared to spur “The Wasps” who can take a lot of positives from their second half show. Scott Taggart scored his first goal for the club with a spectacular shot from outside the box but in the end they couldn’t find another last minute equaliser.

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jim goodwin after defeat to airdrieonians

Very disappointing today, we lost two terrible goals but I’m very aware the stories in the morning will be about me, having scored an own goal and then getting sent off, not a great day personally, but very proud and pleased with the players, after I got sent off they just kept going, it would have been very easy to chuck it but they didn’t, I’m grateful to them for their commitment and effort but obviously disappointed in losing, the two goals we conceded – I’ve turned one in at the near post, the second goal we lose a cheap ball across the middle of the park and they attacked us, up to that point I don’t think Neil Parry had a save to make, we had three or four shots from distance albeit and their keeper has made a few decent saves. We now just have to pick ourselves up and go again next week.

I am my own biggest critic and I have put myself in the firing line as player/manager, I will make mistakes while I am playing it is as simple as that, the own goal these things happen, you just have to accept that as a defender playing at the back, but the second yellow, in hindsight probably the clever thing would have been to stay on my feet and not go to ground.

I went up in the stand to watch the game after that and the players were brilliant, they could have got something out of the game in the end, we were the better team with ten players. It has been a bad afternoon I’m very disappointed but there was nothing in the game, the first half apart from the two mistakes there was nothing in the game, it was a decent game for any neutral both teams trying to play, in the second half when we went down to ten men it was always going to be difficult but give credit to Airdrie, I thought they played well and were dangerous on the break,