Forfar Athletic v Stenhousemuir – match preview

Venue –Alpha Projects Stadium @ Station Park – ko 3p.m.
Saturday 16th March, 2024
cinch league 2 – match no 29

Stand admission charges are;-
Adults £15
65 & over £9
Under 17’s £5

Terracing admission charges are;-
Adults £14
65& over £8
Under 17’s £5

Payment by cash at turnstile

Forfar Athletic Season Tickets are of course valid for this fixture

1984 Lounge
The 1984 Lounge at the ground will be open to all supporters attending the fixture from 12.30p.m. to 2.50p.m. The lounge will re-open again on the final whistle till approximately 8p.m.

The Refreshment Kiosk and Club Shop will be open as usual at the fixture.
50/50 tickets will be on sale from vendors within the ground and within the 1984 Lounge.

PREVIEW
The in form ‘Loons’ will get the opportunity on Saturday first to go ‘toe to toe’ as they say with league leaders Stenhousemuir at the Alpha Projects Stadium @Station Park.

The Athies will go into the game in confident mood not only on the back of a hard fought but in the end deserved win last time out against Clyde, but also following a nine game unbeaten run in the cinch league2. In fact the last side to lower Forfar’s colours were in fact the ‘Warriors’ who clinched a 2-1 success at Ochilview in a tense ninety minutes back on the first Saturday of the year.

Manager Ray McKinnon as did many of the visiting fans that afternoon felt that the visitors were unlucky not to take some reward from the fixture.

All concerned at Station Park will be going all out tomorrow to rectify that situation and gain their first victory over Gary Naysmith’s outfit this term, at the same time also securing what would be for the first time this season, a second successive league win.

Speaking of victories, there is certainly a contrast in the records to date of the two sides.
In the twenty eight league matches played, Stenhousemuir have recorded eighteen wins, while Forfar only seven. There is no doubt that the ‘Loons’ thirteen drawn fixtures, though each has brought a welcome point have cost them dear up to now as far as league standings are concerned.

However as the manager commented in the aftermath of last Saturday’s contest, the time has perhaps come to start looking upwards and set different targets as we reach as they say the ‘business end’ of the campaign.

The home side will welcome back Stuart Morrison to the match day squad after he missed the Clyde fixture as he served a one match suspension.

However Josh Skelly and Tomas Brindley will again be absentees through injury.
However there is no doubting the depth of the ‘Loons’ squad these days as emphasised by the contribution of those who came off the bench last time round, exemplified by Rayan Mohammed getting the Athies back on track with his second goal of the campaign.

Saturday’s visitors who have a fifteen point lead over Peterhead whom they entertain on Saturday week have had a mixed record in recent times. Three weeks back they astonishingly lost 6-1 at home to Clyde, with no disrespect to the ‘Bully Wee’ the ‘freak’ result of the season, before recording a 1-0 win at Bonnyrigg, prior to a goalless encounter at home to Spartans last time out. Matty Aitken a ‘weel kent’ face at Station Park netted the ‘Warriors’ goal in that clash with Bonnyrigg Rose, his fourteenth league goal of the season.

The Ochilview side’s squad which will head north on Saturday will also include former Station Park stalwarts Ross Meechan who captained the club through the turbulent covid times and Jordan Kirkpatrick.

On paper it should be a cracking contest, a match Ray McKinnon for one is thoroughly looking forward to, but as the old saying goes the ‘game itself is played on grass.’ Mind you that is not quite the case these days!

Nevertheless it is a much anticipated contest which will hopefully draw a reasonable turnout of supporters from both sides.

Alex Shepherd is Saturday’s man in the middle, having last officiated at our fixture back at Methil in September.

C’mon the ‘Loons’

Match Sponsor – Murdeas

Hospitality Guests – Les Davidson & Friends, Dave McGregor (FGC) & Friends, Peter M. Drummond Ltd.

1984 Lounge Hospitality – Rodney Leal & Friends

Saturday’s other cinch league2 fixtures;- Bonnyrigg Rose v Clyde, Peterhead v East Fife, Stranraer v Elgin City, The Spartans v Dumbarton