Elgin City v Forfar Athletic – match preview

The ‘Loons’ head north on Saturday keen obviously to maintain their unbeaten start to the cinch League 2 campaign against Gavin Price’s side.

Following on their victories over Annan and Edinburgh City the Athies were involved in a superb ninety minutes entertainment at Station Park last Saturday when the honours in the end were shared with early-season joint league leaders Kelty Hearts.

It was a match that was a credit to the fourth tier of Scottish football and the end result was probably just about right, although Gary Irvine was not surprisingly just slightly disappointed that his charges had not picked up all three points.

Considering the injury list that the Station Park outfit have had to endure to date and even last Saturday one or two players who participated were perhaps not one hundred per cent fit, the start to the season which has undoubtedly galvanised the support has been quite remarkable and hopefully augurs well for the long slog ahead.

It will basically be the same squad who are available to the management team for the Boroughbriggs contest tomorrow with Sam Fisher, Mark Gallagher and Darren Whyte ruled out.

However, the Athies support will be looking for a continuance of the creative football from back to front displayed especially in the first period last week, allied to the stoic resistance shown at times in the second period when under the cosh.

Six ‘Loons’ players have also already got on the score sheet in competitive fixtures to date, with Craig Thomson’s counter last Saturday already a contender without doubt for the goal of the season.

It will be Forfar’s first visit to Elgin since January of 2017, a season that saw them win one and draw the remaining three of the four league games contested by the clubs.

City had to endure a very tough Premier Sports Cup section but on league business, after a 3-1 defeat at Cowdenbeath a couple of weeks back, they recorded courtesy of a Kane Hester hat–trick a 3-0 win on home soil over Albion Rovers last Saturday.

Manager Gavin Price is, of course, a former ‘Loon’ as is his soon to depart assistant Keith Gibson, while amazingly six of the Moray side’s squad have worn the colours of the Station Park outfit, namely Russell Dingwall, Daniel Hoban, Archie MacPhee, Craig Mailer, Josh Peters and Euan Spark.

Another intriguing ninety minutes lies in wait.

The referee is Peter Stuart.

Admission prices are £12 for adults, £7 concessions with Under 16’s on the day admitted free if accompanied by an adult.

The social club bar facility at Boroughbriggs is open and available to supporters.

Saturday’s other cinch league 2 fixtures;- Albion Rovers v Annan Athletic, Kelty Hearts v Edinburgh City, Stenhousemuir v Cowdenbeath, Stranraer v Stirling Albion.