Queens Park v Forfar Athletic – match preview

The ‘Loons’ will make their competitive debut for the season at Queens Park’s temporary home Ochilview on Tuesday evening in a Group H fixture in the Premier Sports Cup against Owen Coyle’s side.

A lot has changed for the ‘Spiders’ since the sides last ‘crossed swords.’

Queens are now a full-time Championship outfit after a great deal of investment in the playing side of the club once the decision was made to give up their amateur status.

More recently their pre-season preparations have included a week-long training camp in Holland a far cry indeed from the Athies evening and weekend sessions in West Fife and Forfar!

Those preparations seemed to have worked however for the Glasgow outfit as they triumphed 5-2 at Stranraer on Saturday past in their opening group game, Simon Murray netting a hat-trick, new signing Grant Savoury a brace.

Incidentally in the other group fixture, Dundee triumphed 3-0 at Dens Park against Hamilton Accies.

Gary Irvine and his players will head to Stirlingshire in good heart however after an enjoyable double training stint on Saturday past which included a highly successful open session with young fans involved.

This is despite failing to record a victory in their three pre-season fixtures against a varied array of opposition, but as all know these games are designed with match fitness in mind, results not of major importance.

They will be without two of their seven new signings, Nathan Flanagan and James Keatings who are not yet 100 per cent fit, while Craig Thomson who returned late to pre-season training is likely to find a place on the subs bench.

The match will undoubtedly be a severe early-season test for the Station Park squad, with two more fixtures against Championship opposition in the pipeline into the bargain.

The other match in Group H on Tuesday night sees Hamilton Accies play host to Stranraer.

The man in the middle at Ochilview is Scott Lambie.

Admission is £10 for adults and £5 for concessions.

A reminder that as previously publicised tickets must be purchased online in advance with strangely no pay-at-the-gate facility available on the night.