Forfar Athletic v Hibernian – match preview

The ‘Loons’ and the ‘Hibees’ will clash for the first time in a competitive fixture since January of 1971 when they meet at Station Park in the Betfred Cup group stages tomorrow night.

That fixture played nearly half a century ago was at Easter Road, the home side winning 8-1.

Sadly, of course, the visit of Jack Ross’s side to Station Park on Tuesday will be played behind closed doors, a major disappointment to all concerned with both clubs.

For the Hibernian manager, it will be a bit of a homecoming as he was a ‘Loons player at one time, signed as a youngster following his release by Dundee by Tommy Campbell back in September of 1994.

His first-team opportunities in a Championship winning season at Station Park were limited, to say the least, but as the years have moved on he has certainly made his mark on the game as a coach and manager.

His Hibs team tomorrow night are of course minus a few regulars due to international call ups notably those of Paul McGinn and Ryan Porteous with the Scotland squad.

He will still be able to rely on a quality squad which included prolific strikers Kevin Nisbet and Christian Doidge along with latest signing Kyle Magennis bought from St. Mirren last week.

The ‘Hibees’ currently sit in third place in the Premiership with twenty points from their ten games played and have recorded 3-1 and 2-1 wins over Brora Rangers and Cove Rangers respectively to date in the Betfred.

Contrast that record with that of the home side who go into the game without a competitive fixture ‘under their belt.’

However, following a week of inactivity apart from heading to the ‘toonie’ on Thursday of last week for Covid testing, the Station Park squad were in a bright and breezy mood at a Saturday morning training session after they had been given the go-ahead to resume preparations for the campaign ahead.

Stuart Malcolm will be minus six members of his squad.   Kyle Dalling and Chris Antoniazzi sit the game out for reasons well documented, Steven Doris and Mark Hill are not yet at full fitness, while Steven Anderson joins Michael Travis on the long term injury list.

The fact that the home side have also signed a handful of new faces since their last pre-season joust makes an inspired choice at guessing a starting line up for what will certainly be a new-look side even more difficult.

One thing is for certain.   They will be up for the task ahead and determined to put on a show ahead of the start of the league season on Saturday first.

The referee for the tie is FIFA official David Munro.

Kick-off is at 7.45p.m.