Managers start mind games ahead of Alloa v Forfar

ALLOA manager Danny Lennon and his opposite number at Forfar, Dick Campbell, are trying to outfox each other ahead of their Championship play-off final second leg at the Indodrill Stadium tomorrow, with both claiming that the other is under the most pressure.

Alloa manager Danny Lennon. Picture: SNS

Lennon is hoping that history repeats itself when his side – 3-1 down from their first meeting on Wednesday – recommence battle with Forfar for a place in the Championship, while Campbell says the hosts will be the more unsettled side.

Just two years ago, Forfar took the same two-goal advantage to Dunfermline in a play-off semi-final and took the lead before losing 6-1, and Lennon reckons that afternoon may be preying on Forfar minds.

Lennon said: “One of the reasons that we all love football is that it can throw up the unexpected. You look at our scoreline from the other night and then look for ties that have been turned round from the same position and one of them involved Forfar. The fact it has happened so recently will give our players a bit of a boost and possibly weigh on their minds as their team in midweek was very similar to that one.

Alloa manager Danny Lennon. Picture: SNS

“I am obviously hoping that history repeats itself.”

Lennon knows what his side has to do. He said: “There was little between the teams. However, they were stronger than us in both boxes. We have to do better in this game and I know that we have players that can hurt Forfar.

“We will look to attack them from the off. However, I know that talk is cheap and that we need to do our talking on the pitch.”

The Wasps could be boosted by the return to fitness of defensive duo Darryl Meggatt and Michael Doyle.

For his part, Forfar manager Campbell knows exactly what his side will do as they try to reach the second level of Scottish football for the first time in 23 years.

He said: “I was reading what Danny was saying about the game a couple of years ago and that I have a choice to make about whether I have to sit in or go for another win.

“We will go out and play in the same manner that we did in the first leg. It was good enough for us to win that game and hopefully it will be good enough for us to win this game.”

Forfar skipper Gavin Swankie drops out through suspension, and Dale Hilson will take his place.

Full-back Mark Baxter continues to be ruled out with an ankle injury.