ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
ANDY GRAHAM admits home is where the hurt is for Alloa after insisting away teams love playing at the Indodrill Stadium.
However, the veteran defender insists two wins in four days will change all that – and kick-start their title charge.
The Wasps have not won on their own patch since November 5, a malaise that has played a major role in Livingston building a 12-point lead at the summit of League 1. Jim Goodwin has tasted victory in Clackmannashire just once since replacing Jack Ross in the dugout.
Graham acknowledges it is a major source of annoyance for Goodwin’s men and suggested that, amid the deteriorating pitches of Scottish football in winter, teams are playing out of their skin on Alloa’s new 4G artificial surface.
He said: “It’s really frustrating, especially since there have been a good few of those matches where we have played well and not got what we deserved. But the results don’t lie, sadly. We’ve only won three league games at home all season – it’s not good enough.
“It’s not like we are not capable, we are a side that beat Inverness and Ross County at home in the League Cup at the start of the season.
“One factor is that I think teams enjoy coming to Alloa. Compared to the pitches we have played on in recent weeks, it is the best surface by miles and miles! Opponents come here and relish playing on it. It’s a fresh, modern 4G and it’s almost a treat for teams that come here.
“But we should be good enough to respond to that and, if we are to have any hope of catching Livingston, then our home form needs to be so much better. Thankfully, we now have Airdrie then East Fife on Tuesday, which gives us the perfect opportunity to do something about it.”
With playoff rivals Airdrie the visitors this afternoon, Alloa are seeking to build on last weekend’s 2-0 triumph at Queen’s Park which saw them make history.
Greig Spence’s strike to break the deadlock was the 8000th in the SPFL, ensuring a place in trivia books for years to come.
And Graham fully expects to hear all about it for the rest of the season – and beyond.
He laughed: “He’ll be delighted with that, a wee place in the history books. Knowing Spenny, he will be absolutely over the moon with that.
“His goal on Saturday just summed him up as a striker, he sniffed out a chance from nothing – and now we’ll need to listen to him going on about the 8000th goal for weeks!
“To be fair, it was a vital goal and it put us on course for a big win. Not many teams with go to Queen’s Park and come away with three points – so it’s about building on that and getting some momentum going.”
