Annan Athletic v Forfar Athletic – match preview

The ‘Loons’ head to Dumfriesshire tomorrow to face an Annan Athletic side managed by Peter Murphy who have in some ways almost quietly moved clear into the third spot in the cinch league2 table, in fact, they now sit only two points behind Gary Irvine’s second-placed side.

When one says quietly, they did without a doubt on the other hand make everyone in the game sit up and take notice with their astonishing 5-1 Boxing Day success over a ten-man Kelty Hearts side and since then have drawn 1-1 at Stranraer, before recording a 3-1 win at Cowdenbeath last weekend.

Ross Meechan and his colleagues head into the game knowing that they have already recorded two victories over the Galabank outfit this term.

Back on the season’s opening day, first-half goals from Stefan McCluskey and Scott Shepherd secured a 2-0 win in the deep south.

Stefan was again on target in the mid-October clash at Station Park which saw a similar end result, Andy Munro the other marksman on that sunny afternoon.

The ‘Loons’ head into the game in good heart having got back on the winning way at home to Stranraer last Saturday.

A further bonus came when Stefan McCluskey, Matty Aitken and Yusuf Hussain all absentees through illness a week back got some game time under their belt in a  hastily arranged bounce game on Tuesday past.

Darren Whyte also continued his road to full match fitness in that fixture.

In fact, all going well despite the departure earlier in the week of Steven Doris and Mark Gallagher, Gary and his management team could have the luxury of having at least a squad of nineteen players to choose from at Galabank.

The contest will certainly be a keenly contested affair and a test for both sides of their current credentials.

For the Athies players and staff, it will also be their last competitive game for a fortnight, Edinburgh City and Albion Rovers currently their next opponents, both matches due at Station Park on the last Saturday of the current month and the first Saturday of February.

Premier League official Steven Kirkland takes charge of tomorrow’s clash.

Admission prices are £14 for adults and £8 concessions.

The other cinch league2 fixtures on Saturday are;- Elgin City v Albion Rovers, Kelty Hearts v Edinburgh City, Stenhousemuir v Cowdenbeath, Stranraer v Stirling Albion