Stenhousemuir v Forfar Athletic - Match Preview

The ‘Loons’ begin the second half of the cinch league2 campaign on Saturday with what is undoubtedly a tough task an away match against the current runaway league leaders Stenhousemuir.

The ‘Warriors’ now eleven points clear of their nearest rivals Peterhead are on an amazing run of currently nine successive league victories under the stewardship of Gary Naysmith, benefitting without doubt from being able to field almost a full strength and unchanged starting eleven week on week, a luxury certainly denied the Forfar management team in recent times.

Ray McKinnon is however relishing the challenge ahead and there is no doubt that the Athies go into the game with a couple of impressive performance behind them.

Obviously all involved look forward to continuation of the grit, determination and all round purposeful football that has been displayed in atrocious conditions both in the win at Peterhead and at home to East Fife.

On the availability front, as ever it seems mixed messages. Andy Munro has trained this week is back in the match day reckoning, while sadly for him personally Roberto Nditi has not made the final Tanzanian squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Although believed to be on his way back to the UK, it is not certain whether he will arrive in time to be considered for the Ochilview clash.

Callum Moore returns having served a one match ban last weekend. Josh Skelly however misses out serving the first of a two game suspension following his red card against the Fifers, Craig Thomson absent as new work commitments continue to affect his availability, while Rory MacLeod has of course returned to his parent club.

The Station Park management team are relatively confident of having a new face or two in the squad which will head to the central belt, but time is not on their side.

However buoyed by the news concerning Marc McCallum earlier in the week, the solidity of the defence over the past couple of weeks, allied by a noticeable return to form of one or two of the squad over the same period, they go into the game confident of reaping some reward, prior to a run of three successive home league fixtures.

As for the home side they go into the contest on the back of a 2-1 away win against Clyde, both goals coming from Matty Aitken, what a season the former ‘Loon’ has had to date. They will be minus Ross Taylor a sub at New Douglas Park who received a red card within ten minutes of entering the fray.

The sides fought out a relatively entertaining goalless draw at Stenhousemuir on the opening day of the campaign, the away side triumphing 3-1 at Station Park in early August.

Saturday’s contest will be refereed by Ryan Lee, who was in charge of our home game with Dumbarton three weeks back. It will be in fact the fourth occasion this season that he has been the man in the middle at an Athies league fixture.

Admission prices at Ochilview are;-
Adults £14
Concessions £9
Under 16’s £5
Tickets can be purchased in advance if so desired, details on the ‘Warriors’ website, but cash turnstiles are also available on the day.

C’mon the Loons.