6. Alloa Athletic’s great escape – Saturday, May 3
This correspondent wrote it in the programme for Dumbarton v Hamilton Accies on the penultimate day of the season: “There will be an ‘Aguerooooooooo’ moment somewhere in the Championship next Saturday.”
What it was impossible to predict was that it would happen in one game, but positively impact on a team playing elsewhere.
Alloa Athletic entered the final day of the season a point clear of Cowdenbeath, who occupied second-bottom place ahead of long-time relegated Morton. However, it wasn’t quite so straightforward. The Wasps’ last match of the season was away to Falkirk, who depending on results elsewhere could still be champions. Cowden’s game was at home to Queen of the South, who had one foot in the play-offs and could only be denied a place by defeat at Central Park and a big enough victory for Dumbarton at Dundee to overturn the goal difference. If Alloa were going to stay up in their first season back in Scottish football’s second tier, it would be done with real guts – especially as they had won away from home only once since Saturday, December 7 2013, and that was at Morton.
Mark Beck opened the scoring early on for Falkirk, but Kevin Cawley equalised for Alloa within six minutes. Half time arrived with both Alloa and Cowdenbeath’s matches deadlocked and with Dumbarton 2-0 down at Dundee, Queens’ play-off place was pretty much guaranteed. Which was bad news for the Wasps, as the Dumfries club had virtually nothing to go out and play for in the second half. Worse news was to follow at Falkirk as, just after the hour mark, Craig Sibbald restored Falkirk’s lead. Then disaster followed – along the motorway at Central Park, where Kane Hemmings scored for Cowdenbeath. In the final minute at Falkirk, Beck scored again for the home side and, as it stood, Alloa’s season would have to be prolonged by another four games if they were to survive.
Upon the final whistle, players and fans were reflecting on the possibility of surviving through the play-offs, and whether optimism could be restored in time for a trip to Ayr the following Wednesday. But as plans were being made for Somerset Park, sensational news emerged. Some say it was Danny Carmichael, others say it was Bob McHugh. Queen of the South had scored after what seemed endless injury time. In doing so, they had saved the club who were newly-promoted with them at the end of last season. Moments like those are why fans with radios are synonymous with the last day of the season.
Because sometimes, it does happen for you elsewhere.
Number 5 will be published on Friday, December 19.
The Dumbarton Terrace 