Forfar Athletic and Raith Rovers shared the spoils in a hard fought, entertaining and at times fiesty SPFL Development League East fixture at Station Park last night.
However the 2-2 final score line allied to Stirling Albion’s 3-0 win at Stenhousemuir means that although both the Athies and Rovers still have a game to play, Albion cannot be caught and are crowned champions.
It has nevertheless been another excellent season for the young Forfar side at this level. Fielding on most occasions a much younger side than was the case last term, they have only lost once in their last eleven games, at times scoring goals for fun along the way.
Last night a crowd in excess of 150 witnessed a superb ninety minutes with at the end of the day the home youngsters perhaps slightly unlucky not to record a win against a slightly more experienced visiting outfit.
Kerr Hay hit the bar early on for the home eleven, but it was Raith who took the lead on the quarter hour mark, Lewis Vaughan sliding the ball home from close range.
Twelve minutes later it was all square. A looping cross from the left evaded the visiting custodian and Cameron Clark made no mistake with a close range header.
The ‘Loons’ were dealt a crushing blow minutes later when Hay was shown a straight red card for a rash tackle on the halfway line.
Fifteen minutes into the second period, the numbers were evened up when Kieran Campbell was shown a second yellow card, the homesters gaining a one goal advantage with thirteen minutes remaining.
Matty Aitken was the scorer from the penalty spot as after the referee to the surprise of many punished a visiting defender for holding.
Seven minutes later, it was all square again as a deflected strike from Vaughan found the net.
In the closing seconds of added on time, home substitute Ben Moonie struck the post with a vicious left foot strike at the end of a superb three man move, but it was not to be.
Forfar’s final league fixture is on Wednesday evening of next week when they make the trip to Tranent to face Berwick Rangers.
