Forfar Athletic v Hamilton Accies – match preview

The ‘Loons’ will play their first competitive home game of the campaign on Saturday when they entertain Championship outfit Hamilton Accies in the Premier Sports Cup.

It will be the Lanarkshire side’s first visit to Station Park since May of 2004 when they clinched promotion to Scotland’s second tier on the last day of the season.

The Athies go into the game on the back of a 4-1 reverse away to Queens Park on Tuesday past, a final outcome that was rather harsh on Craig Slater and his colleagues who were in the contest until the closing ten minutes against a side with Premiership aspirations.

Forfar’s lineup on Saturday will be along similar lines to the midweek fixture with one notable exception.   Darren Whyte will sit the game out following the knee knock which saw him substituted midway through the first half against the ‘Spiders’ a scan is required to ascertain the damage which all hope will be minimal.

Craig Thomson could return to the starting eleven following his second-half appearance on Tuesday evening, while Stefan McCluskey could well do similar.

It is hoped that James Keatings and Nathan Flanagan may play some part in the final two Group H fixtures next week.

Hamilton head north with a new man John Rankine at the helm and having made to date only two summer signings in Jonny Ngandu from Coventry City and Michael Doyle from Queens Park.

A familiar face to home supporters will be striker Andy Ryan one of their goal scorers in a 5-2 home win over Stranraer on Tuesday evening, who had a spell on loan at Station Park a few years back.

If the ‘Loons’ are to make any impact on the final sectional placings a victory would seem to be a must on Saturday.

To be fair though this will be no easy task against another full-time outfit this early in the season.

A reminder that drawn matches in the group stages after ninety minutes of action go straight to a penalty shoot-out with the winners awarded a bonus point.

First season Grade One official Alex Shepherd will be the man in the middle.

The kick-off is as normal at 3 p.m.

Reduced admission prices are £12 for adults, £7 for 65 & over and £4 for under 17’s.

Cash payment at turnstiles only.

Forfar Athletic season tickets are not valid for this fixture.

Club Director Mark Nisbet and a group of friends and colleagues will be enjoying an early season sample of the delights of the matchday hospitality experience in the Ian McPhee Lounge.

The 1984 Lounge facility will be open to supporters from 1.30 p.m. till kick-off and from the final whistle till around 7.30 p.m.

The other Group H fixture on Saturday is at Stair Park where Stranraer on the back of two successive 5-2 reversals will play host to Dundee.