Annan Athletic 0 - 0 Alloa Athletic: Annan take the plaudits as Alloa slip

Published on Friday 13 May 2011 20:02

Annan win 3-1 on aggregate

A YEAR after goal difference saw them miss out on promotion to the First Division, Alloa yesterday slipped into the Third Division for the first time since 1998 after being unable to convert their dominance of this Second Division play-off into victory.

It effectively means their gamble in replacing manager Allan Maitland with senior players Brown Ferguson and Scott Walker has failed. For Annan, all spirit and defiance in the face of some relentless pressure, the prospect of clinching promotion in only their third season in the SFL remains alive as they prepare for a final showdown with an Albion Rovers side they are unbeaten against this season.

Alloa started well and at times in the first half threatened to blow Annan away. The hosts' first chance came after ten minutes but Jim Lister headed straight at Craig Summersgill. Three minutes later, Annan's Steven Sloan had to make a goal-line block from Walker's powerful downward header. At the other end, Sloan saw a stinging shot from the edge of the box pushed behind by Jamie Ewings. But, after a slight lull, Alloa enjoyed a sustained period of pressure in the ten minutes leading up to the interval and Annan went in at half-time relieved still to be level.

The Alloa pressure continued after the break, with Lister seeing a shot blocked by Summersgill before the keeper had to act smartly to deal with a dangerous in swinging delivery from Michael McGowan. Annan were dealt a blow when veteran Andy Aitken was carried off after 55 minutes. Ironically, the loss of the visitors' defensive lynchpin coincided with their most comfortable phase as they saw out the closing stages untroubled.