MATCH PREVIEW: Forfar Athletic v Cowdenbeath

It’s a clash of the two relegated sides from last season’s Ladbrokes League 1 that heralds the ‘Loons’ first home league fixture of this current season with Cowdenbeath under the stewardship this term of Liam Fox, the former Hearts youth coach who took over in the close season from Colin Nish.

The two teams had contrasting starts to the thirty-six match campaign last weekend both incidentally with eight or nine players making their league debuts for their respective clubs.    The Athies thanks to goals from three of those debutants  David Cox, Lewis Milne and Jim Lister defeated Edinburgh City 3-2, while the Central Park outfit went down by the only goal of the game at home to Elgin City.

Gary Bollan will however be forced into at least one change to his starting line up following David Cox’s after match red card which will see him sit out Saturday’s clash and the midweek Irn Bru cup-tie.

Josh Peters is the likely replacement with Michael Kennedy the only player ruled out of the squad through injury.

The visitors actually signed a staggering fifteen new faces in the summer and will obviously take time to gel.   They are however strongly fancied to be up their fighting for a quick return to higher echelons come May month.

Last season, the ‘Blue Brazil’ took seven points from their four clashes with the ‘Loons’.    They won 2-1 on home soil in the Autumn, before clinching a solitary goal success in December at Station Park.    Forfar then turned in a superb performance to win a midweek fixture 4-1 over in Fife, before a 1-1 draw was the outcome of the final joust of the season.

Big Stuart and his mates have been very impressive in their two home competitive fixtures to date against higher league opposition and will hope to continue that form in what is nevertheless likely to be a highly competitive ninety minutes.

The man in the middle will be Craig Charleston now one of the longest serving Grade One officials on the list, while interestingly his stand side assistant Douglas Ross recently elected to the Scottish Parliament will become without doubt the first Member of Parliament to be involved in a game in the history of the old ground.

Admission charges are the usual £13/7 for the stand, £12/6 for the terracing.

Season tickets are still available from the Secretary’s Office prior to kick-off.

The match is sponsored by Aad Transport Ltd who are near neighbours of the club in Carseview Road.

Another couple of interesting points surrounding the contest.

Both teams on Saturday as a compromise will wear their second choice colours.   This has come about after it became apparent that both Cowdenbeath’s first and second choice strips clashed with Forfar’s navy/sky shirt.

A most welcome guest of club officials will be Gordon Leitch who will forever be remembered by older fans as the player who scored one of the most important goals in the club’s history, the injury time Scottish Cup quarter final winner in 1982 which sealed the only appearance in the semi-final of the great old tournament in the club’s history.   Gordon was also a member of the ‘Loons’ championship winning squad two seasons’ later.

Finally a reminder that the 1984 Lounge at the ground will be open from 12.30p.m. until kick-off and again on the final whistle until approximately 7.30p.m.    All supporters welcome.