Forfar Athletic 0 Stirling Albion 1

Saturday 12 March 2022

Station Park, Forfar 

SPFL cinch League 2

This was deja vu all over again. And not in a good way. Following a disappointingly blunt performance against Elgin City a week ago, Forfar produced a similarly impotent display in going down 1-0 at home to Stirling Albion. The result leaves the Loons six points adrift of Annan Athletic - albeit with Tuesday evening’s game against Cowdenbeath in hand - in the race for second-place in the League Two table. 

  Not surprisingly, Forfar boss Gary Irvine was quick to express his disappointment and frustration with what was his side’s third game in succession without scoring.

  “To describe that performance as ‘flat’ is being kind,” said Irvine. “The first 45 minutes today is the worst we have played all season. It just wasn’t good enough. And, if I’m being honest, similar to last week. Yes, we were up against a team intent on putting bodies behind the ball. Yes, they were hard to break down. But we worked all week on combating that by moving the ball quickly and getting ourselves into good positions from where we can create chances. We didn’t do that last week and this was the same again. 

  “In the second-half we did have more possession,” he continued. “But Stirling were a team who had scored a goal and were fighting for everything. What was most frustrating was that we were second-best in that respect too. It pains me to say that. There was a lot wrong out there, so I can’t wait for us to get together again on Monday and work extremely hard. We have a tough game on Tuesday and there is a lot to correct before then.”

  Irvine also had some empathetic words for the 496 souls in the Station Park crowd.  

  “I feel for the fans who came out today,” he admitted. “I heard their annoyance and I understand it. We played to a standard that definitely fell far short of those that put us in the league position we are in. We need to correct things quickly if we are to stay where we are and also get back to winning ways.  

  “We’ve spoken as a team about how the goals have dried up lately. That needs to be better. We’re getting a lot of possession and getting ourselves into the opposition half. But the last bit is missing - picking out the right man, choosing the right pass. We need more bodies in the box to give more options and so score more goals. We had times today when the man in possession looked up and had only one man - one option - in the box.”

  Indeed, legitimate chances for the home team to break their scoring drought were few and far between. Which only added to Irvine’s frustration.  

  “We created only one chance in the first half, when Grant Anderson brought a good save out of their keeper,” he said. “Then in the second half, one chance fell to Matty Aitken. He maybe should have scored. It fell to him six or seven yards out. And anything either side of the keeper was a goal. But we should be talking about more than that. We’ve racked up a few goals this season, but they have dried up for the moment. 

  “I’m reluctant to talk about any positives. But going again on Tuesday means we have a chance to correct things sooner rather than later. I can’t wait for Monday night, when I can show my drive to the players and lift them. There is a lack of confidence right now, which is hard to believe. For most of this season we have had a good defensive record and were scoring goals. But that has disappeared since Christmas really. Now we need to show some character and get back on track.”

  To be fair, there has been no lack of effort or hard toil behind the scenes.  

  “We’ve been working so hard,” claimed Irvine. “Last Thursday night we spent more than 50 minutes on crossing and finishing, getting the ball into good areas and creating options. That’s where my biggest frustration lies. We’re still talking about how that didn’t happen. We need an end-product.”

  Still, at least on paper, the next three games - all against the two teams with the worst league records so far - offer the prospect of a return to winning ways. But Irvine was quick to scotch the notion that he or his men will be taking anything for granted.  

  “I’m not looking at league positions,” he said. “At this stage of the season, every game is tough. Every team is scrapping for every point. We saw that today with Stirling and last week with Elgin. We need to show similar ‘dig’ so that we can start looking above us in the table rather than below." 

Forfar Athletic 

1 McCallum

2 Meechan ? 34'

19 Munro

15 Hussain

26 Brindley

7 Thomson ? Crossan 63'

10 Slater

12 Hutton ? Harkins 76'

11 G Anderson ? Moore 40' ? 75'

17 McCluskey

18 Shepherd ? Aitken 63'

Substitutes

9 Aitken

14 Thomas

20 Harkins

21 Sanderson

22 Moore

24 Crossan

Stirling Albion 

1 Currie

2 Dunsmore

5 McGeachie

6 McNiff

7 Moore

8 Roberts

10 Leitch ? Laird 76'

3 Flanagan

9 Carrick

23 Mackin ?Paterson 84'

11 Francis

Substitutes

4 Grant

12 McLean

14 Creaney

15 Paterson

16 Love

17 Law

18cLaird

19 Simpson

20 Young

Referee: Chris Fordyce

Attendance: 496