Cowdenbeath v Alloa - Blue Brazil without Armstrong

Posted Wednesday, May 05, 2010 by PA

Cowdenbeath's John Armstrong is suspended for their play-off first leg clash against Alloa.

The defender was sent off when the side's met for the seventh time this season at the weekend and the experienced Craig Winter is also missing because of a ban.

Defender Dene Droudge and midfielder Danny MacKay are both ruled out because of knocks, however centre-back Joe Mbu plus strikers Gareth Wardlaw and Paul McQuade should return after being left out of Saturday's 3-1 loss to Athletic.

Manager Danny Lennon said: "Our record against Alloa is not the best, so this game would be a realty good time to put that right and take an advantage into the second game. All the games have been tight affairs and I do not expect this one to be any different."

Alloa are missing half a dozen players for the tie.

Scot Buist, Tony Stevenson, Mark Brown, Brown Ferguson, Mark Gilhaney and Stuart Noble have all been ruled out by manager Allan Maitland due to injury.

Maitland is still being upbeat despite losing the title on goal difference to Stirling Albion at the weekend.

He said: "Of course it is disappointing not to be promoted automatically so we just have to get on with things a different way. We have a few players missing and they can bring back some really important guys that have been rested, however our record against Cowdenbeath this season is good. We will look to add another game unbeaten against them to set things up nicely for Saturday."