Montrose v Forfar Athletic – match preview

Before we move on to previewing the ‘Loons’ first game of a New Year, all at Station Park would like to wish Forfar Athletic supporters wherever they may be a much happier 2021 on all fronts and again thank them all for sticking with the club in these tough times.

Back to the football and the ‘Loons’ head to Links Park on Saturday to meet an in form Montrose side who won three and drew one of their four games in the last month of 2020.

This record saw Stewart Petrie’s side move into second place in the league table four points behind leaders Falkirk.

There was an undoubted improvement in the Athies display against visitors Cove Rangers last weekend but their failure to find the net or in fact, create enough ‘concrete’ chances saw them lose out by the only goal of the contest.

Off the field injury and illness worries continue to haunt the Station Park outfit, with Daniel Scally again ruled out, Steven Doris’s potential return from hamstring problems on hold thanks to a heavy cold.

All the fit players in the squad got a run out in Tuesday night’s friendly against Downfield while a full training session took place in ideal conditions on Hogmanay.

Stuart Malcolm is likely to stick with much the same starting line up as last week, with perhaps a little tinkering and the fans restricted as ever these days to their armchairs, will live in hope that the squad can upset the odds and reap some reward from the derby fixture.

Kick-off is at 3 p.m. and the man in the middle is Scott Lambie who had charge of the ‘Loons’ league fixture at Cove in November.