Forfar Athletic v Peterhead – match preview
Venue –Alpha Projects Stadium @ Station Park – ko 3p.m.
Saturday 7th October, 2023
cinch league 2 – match no 9
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 FAFC supporters only, sponsors and hospitality guests, as well as visiting club officials from 12.30p.m. to 2.50p.m. (This decision has been made necessary to avoid overcrowding within the premises.)
It will re-open on the final whistle to all until 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
It will be no one’s surprise that the ‘Loons’ management and players are looking forward to the visit of league leaders Peterhead to the Alpha Projects Stadium@ Station Park on Saturday first.
In fact Ray McKinnon admits he cannot wait for 3p.m. on Saturday to arrive!
Not only does it give a chance for an Athies side unbeaten in September month to test themselves against the form side in the league at present, but it is the only opportunity astonishingly in a six week period that they will ply their trade on home ‘soil.’
Forfar go into the game on the back of two impressive away results at Stair Park and the Bayview Stadium which yielded four points and drew plaudits from the backroom staff and the supporters whom witnessed the efforts of the players on either occasion.
However all the work behind the scenes since 5p.m. last Saturday has been focussed on procuring a first league success of the campaign at Station Park this weekend as the opening quarter of the cinch league2 campaign comes to a conclusion.
There is great news on the injury and illness front for once.
Cameron Ferguson, Kieran Inglis and Euan Mutale return to the squad, Cameron and Kieran having been laid low last Saturday by a mystery bug, while Euan has been out of action for most of September month.
Craig Thomson will therefore be the only absentee from the ranks.
Other fringe players in recent weeks for differing reasons such as Tomas Brindley, Adam Hutchinson and Darren Watson got vital game time under their belt on Tuesday evening in a hastily arranged closed doors fixture with Dundee North End which proved highly beneficial.
However it is unlikely there will many changes if any to last weekend in the home starting line-up, keeper Marc McCallum scheduled for appearance number 251 against one of his former sides, with a now fairly settled defence in front of him.
The paths of the ‘Blue Toon’ outfit and the ‘Loons’ last crossed back in covid times in early May of 2021 with the away side triumphing 2-1 at Balmoor on a day though when their relegation to the fourth tier of the SPFL was confirmed by results elsewhere.
A fair bit of water has gone ‘under the bridge’ since then as they say, the seismic shock of last season the departure of Peterhead’s long serving manager Jim McInally.
David Robertson’s tenure as his replacement did not have the desired effect and the Balmoor hierarchy replaced him with dual head coaches in the shape of Jordon Brown who made twenty plus appearances some years back in two loan spells at Station Park and Ryan Strachan.
Both are still registered as players into the bargain, Ryan in the starting line up for the 6-0 thrashing of Elgin City last Saturday.
They have introduced a dozen or so new faces to the playing ranks since the end of last season, the most notable the return of prolific scorer Rory McAllister from Montrose for a reported five figure fee.
To date a home 1-0 defeat from Spartans in late August has been the only blemish on the cinch league2 report card, a keenly anticipated televised SPFL Trophy third round tie at home to Dundee United also on the horizon.
A hard fought 90 minutes is undoubtedly in store for the fans on Saturday and as ever the home support can as they have done on many an occasion in recent times play their part in hopefully seeing their side over the finishing line on the day.
Ryan Lee who took charge of the Athies fixture down at Stranraer two weeks back is again the man in the middle for what will be his Station Park debut.
C’mon the ‘Loons’
Match Sponsor – Peterson Edzell Ltd.
Hospitality Guests – Darren Leith & Friends, Gary McLuskey & Friends, Scott Neave & Friends, Carl Valentine & Friends
Saturday’s other cinch league2 fixtures;- Bonnyrigg Rose v East Fife, Clyde v Dumbarton, Elgin City v Stenhousemuir, Stranraer v The Spartans
