Fraserburgh v Forfar Athletic – Match Preview

The ‘Loons’ make a quick return to action and with it a break from League2 football when they head back up north again on Tuesday night to face Highland League Fraserburgh in the second round of the SPFL Trust Trophy.

They do so on the back of heart breaking 2-1 defeat at Peterhead on Saturday courtesy of Seb Ross’s 94th minute winner for the home side.

Manager Ray McKinnon was certainly of the opinion that his side deserved some reward from the Balmoor clash, especially after a fine second half showing which at that juncture yielded a well taken equaliser from Jackson Mylchreest on debut following excellent work in the build up from Nathan Cannon.

Sadly the young marksman had to leave the field with a foot knock minutes later, word awaited from parent club St. Johnstone on the full extent of the injury.

Though the Trust Trophy formerly the Challenge Cup ranks lower in club’s planning than the Scottish and League Cup tournaments, it is still being treated with utmost importance by the Forfar management team with a victory and progress to round three of the competition a priority on the Athies first ever visit to Bellslea Park.

Ray is well aware it will be a tough task, the ‘Broch’ who finished third in the Highland league last term, also being classed as one of the favourites for the title this time round.

Only last week after a tricky start to their league campaign, Mark Cowie’s side defeated reigning champions Buckie Thistle 3-1 at Victoria Park before sharing the spoils at home on Saturday past in a goalless draw with Brechin City.

The ‘Loons’ manager though has obvious selection problems for the tie. All three of the players on loan from St. Johnstone are cup tied having already represented their parent club’s ‘B’ side in a round one victory over our Glebe Park neighbours. Mitch Taylor is again an absentee due to personal reasons but will return for the visit to Methil on Saturday, while Russell McLean was an unused sub at Peterhead due to not feeling one hundred per cent on arrival at Balmoor.

This means that at best Ray will have fifteen players to call on for the clash, Kieran Inglis, Filip Franczak and Player-Coach Mark Whatley potential replacements if the boss if considering a freshening up of his starting eleven.

The fixture has an 8pm. kick-off and if the scores are level at the end of ninety minutes, it is straight to a penalty shoot-out.

The ‘Loons’ lost out at this stage in such a shoot-out in the competition last season making it a long trip home on the night from Elgin and rest assured all concerned with the Station Park outfit will be going all out to make sure there is no repeat this time round.

Admission charges at Bellslea Park are £10 for adults, £5 concessions. Payment by cash at the turnstile.

The man in the middle is Daniel Graves who has handled two or three Athies fixtures over the past couple of seasons.

The other second round ties scheduled for Tuesday night are;- Albion Rovers v Cowdenbeath, Dundee United ‘B’ v Dundee ‘B’, Dumbarton v Berwick Rangers, East Fife v St. Johnstone ‘B’, Elgin City v Banks O’Dee, Stranraer v Bonnyrigg Rose. On Wednesday evening Clyde are at home to Rangers ‘B’ and East Kilbride visit East Stirling.

The draw for the third round scheduled for Saturday September 7th is due to take place on Monday 19th August.