Forfar Athletic 3 Albion Rovers 1
SPFL cinch League 2
Station Park, Forfar
Saturday 25 September 2021
Forfar marked their return to Station Park with a resounding victory over Albion Rovers in what will be one of only two home games in September and October.
Gary Irvine was delighted his side got back to winning ways: "It started to feel like I was repeating myself over the last few weeks with us not taking our chances and handing other sides a lifeline. Today the performance was excellent, yes, but we also took our chances and won the game comfortably. I would have liked it to be a bit more comfortable towards the end we were a wee bit shaky and sloppy but it was a really satisfying three points.”
And a satisfying three points it was for the Loons who have not tasted victory in the league since hosting Edinburgh City at the beginning of August. The home side bossed proceedings from the start and took the lead with a spectacular team goal. A long period of possession orchestrated by man of the match Craig Slater led to Ross Meechan being freed on the wing by a lovely Mark Gallagher pass. He chopped inside his man and fired a shot towards goal which Rovers ‘keeper Cameron Birnie spilled out to Stefan McCluskey who tucked away for his fourth of the season.
Ross and the boys continued to push for what was proving, this season, to be an elusive second goal. Slater had a shot saved and Gallagher and Scott Shepherd both fired wide before Craig Thomson’s cross was turned onto the post by one attacker in a queue of blue shirts.
The game looked as though it would follow a sequence of events all too familiar to the Loons faithful this season as Andy Munro missed a free header early in the second half. But any worries were put to bed as the Athies scored twice in three minutes to all but secure victory. The first was another wonderful spell off possession and passing. Slater’s hard work found Luke Strachan who put the ball on a plate for Scott Shepherd to nod into the corner of the net.
And before the visitors had time to regroup it was three. Ross Meechan slotted in Thomson, whose cross was perfect for Matty Aitken and the former Albion Rovers striker slotted in to move level with McCluskey in the race for top goalscorer.
It looked as though the home side would go on and inflict further punishment on the Wee Rovers but it wasn’t to be and the visitors grabbed a late consolation. Their substitute trialist tucked away a tidy volley from the edge of the area in the 82nd minute.
Gary will now prepare his side for another away trip. We’ll head to Stenhousemuir, Saturday coming, with the hope of building on a very impressive showing this weekend.
Forfar Athletic
1 McCallum
2 Meechan
4 S Anderson
19 Munro
3 Strachan
7 Thomson ? G Anderson 80'
10 Slater
16 Gallagher ? Harkins 70'
17 McCluskey ⚽️ 11' ? Crossan 81'
18 Shepherd ⚽️ 64'
9 Aitken ⚽️ 68'
Substitutes
5 Travis
11G Anderson
14 Thomas
15 Hussain
20 Harkins
21 Sanderson (GK)
23 Irvine
24 Crossan
Albion Rovers
1 Binnie
2 Lynas
5 Fagan
3 Robinson
4 El-Zubaidi
7 Leslie
6 McKernon
8 Wilson
11 Roberts ? Dolan 73'
9 Doherty ? Trialist 73' ⚽️ 82'
10 Wright ? Wilson 45'
Substitutes
12 Trialist
14 Wilson
15 Fernie
16 McGowan
17 Smith
18 Dolan
19 Sweeney
20 McVey
Referee: Graham Grainger
Attendance: 425
