The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Dods hopes for Stark’s Park heroics momentum
Boss concerned over emotional impact of semi-final win ahead of clash with Wasps
Darren Dods has admitted that the emotional impact of Brechin City’s dramatic play-off semi-final victory over Raith Rovers is a cause for concern.
And the Glebe Park boss is hoping that they will get momentum from their Stark’s Park heroics rather than an adrenaline drop-off.
Dods has never experienced a day quite like Saturday but, with only two games between them and Championship football next season, he knows that his players will need to raise themselves again for the first leg of the final at home tonight.
“When Raith scored their last-minute goal I feared the worst,” he said.
“Then when it went to 3-2 for them I was just hoping for one more chance.
“It came when we got the free-kick near the end of extra-time and it must be the first one we’ve scored since I’ve been here!
“My chairman’s always going on about it. They usually hit the wall or go over the bar or past the post.
“I couldn’t have picked a better time for one to go in.
“The advantage swung both ways in the penalties as well. The emotions kept changing. To come out of the match the winners in the end was something else.
“Both teams put so much into it and it was great to not be the gallant losers, which most people were probably expecting.”
Dods added: “Making sure the lads don’t have come-down after a game like that is the hard part.
“They were still in high spirits at training on Monday and we just had a light session. We’ve got to try and keep the momentum going for another two games.
“Alloa went to extra-time as well, so it’s not as if they had it easy at the weekend. Like in the semi-final, a draw wouldn’t be a disaster. We just want to make sure the tie is still alive going into the second leg.”
The last time Brechin and Alloa met, Jim Goodwin’s men were 6-1 winners.
Dods doesn’t believe that result reflects the status of the sides now.
“We had our goalie sent off,” he said. “And it was one of those games where everything went wrong.
“But all the other matches between us were close and I would expect this to be tight as well. We’re underdogs again but let’s give it a real go.”
Dougie Hill is a doubt, as is Alan Trouten.
When Raith scored their last-minute goal I feared the worst. DARREN DODS