MATCH PREVIEW: Raith Rovers v Forfar Athletic

Venue – Starks Park

Date – Saturday January 6th – kick-off 3p.m.

Admission Prices – Adult £15  Senior Citizens and Under 16’s £8  Under 12’s free if accompanied by a paying adult (ticket must be purchased in advance at ticket office window)

Current League Standings – Raith Rovers – 2nd place – 42 points from 18 games, Forfar Athletic – 10th place – 15 points from 20 games

Previous results this season – 19th August – Raith Rovers 3 Forfar Athletic 1, 28th October – Forfar Athletic 1 Raith Rovers 1

Team News – Raith Rovers – Rovers will include recent loan signing Regan Hendry from Celtic in their ranks.   His inclusion apart their squad will be along similar lines to the one that clinched six points from their two game New Year programme.   The prolific scoring trio of Lewis Vaughan, Greig Spence and Liam Buchanan were all on the mark in the 3-0 win over Stranraer at Starks Park on the Saturday, while Buchanan was also on the mark in the 3-2 derby victory at Methil on Tuesday, Scott Robertson and Dario Zannatta the other scorers on that occasion.

Forfar Athletic – The ‘Loons’ were considered by many unlucky not to take a point from the clash with Arbroath on Tuesday.
They will hope to have Dale Hilson and Darren Whyte available after family commitments and injury ruled them out of the clash with the ‘Lichties.’    Dylan Easton sits this one out serving a one match suspension, while the experienced duo of David Cox and Mark Millar utilised as second half subs on Tuesday may find themselves in the starting eleven.   Lewis Milne has been released from his short term registration with the club and in fact came on as a second half sub for Montrose on Tuesday past.
The Athies will take heart from two excellent performances against Rovers this campaign to date.    Despite playing for over an hour with ten men following Jamie Bain’s red card, only two late counters saw Rovers pick up the points back in August on home turf, while a Mark Millar penalty saw the ‘Loons’ deservedly share the spoils at Station Park in October.

Match Officials – Referee – Greg Aitken  Assistants – Mark McLean & Gordon McCabe