Dumbarton v Forfar Athletic - match preview

The ‘Sons’ and the ‘Loons’ clash at the Dumbarton FC Stadium on Saturday.   Craig Slater and his colleagues will go into the game in good heart following an improved display last weekend against Bonnyrigg Rose.

Still fresh in the memory will also be the meeting between the sides at Station Park only last month when many felt that Steve Farrell’s side were lucky to escape with a point from a hard fought 0-0 draw.

Manager Ray McKinnon drew quite a few positives from his first game in charge against Bonnyrigg, but like all concerned with the Athies he was gutted by the loss of a 93^rd minute goal which saw only one point gleaned when three would have been so precious.

Prior to that game Ray had only one training session with his new charges but that has now been increased to three and he along with the players will have undoubtedly benefited from the experience.

Certainly the new man at the Station Park helm has been impressed by the attitude of the players in training, one of those two sessions this week taking place in horrendous overhead conditions which would have seen fishermen heading for the harbour!

Ray will certainly be looking for more of the intricate fast moving passing game this weekend that left the Rose defenders trailing in their wake and ended with Jayden Ferguson’s goal which brought Station Park to life on Saturday past.

Good news on the injury front with Craig Thomson and Darren Whyte having taken part in the full Thursday nighttraining session.

Both will be in the match day squad for Saturday as long as they have shown no adverse reaction.

James Keatings also returned to training this week, but his return to full fitness is a week or two away.

Callum Moore and Spencer Moreland are still ruled out.

Dumbarton now sit on the 32 point mark after 14 league games, their 4-0 success up at Elgin last Saturday their third on the spin courtesy of goals from Ross MacLean, Greg Wylde, Aron Lynas and Ryan Wallace.   This run of victories followed a four game winless run which for one week saw them vacate the top spot in the table.

Historically there has usually been little between the sides, in fact in the 2020/21 season the last time our paths crossed honours were even.    Both sides recorded a 1-0 success in the mad rush of late season fixtures that prevailed back then, this following a goalless stalemate earlier in the campaign.

Obviously the home side will start strong favourites on Saturday, but the Forfar management and players will have other ideas in what could be a match played in interesting underfoot conditions following the wet weather midweek and beyond.

The referee on Saturday is the very experienced Gavin Duncan who will be handling a ‘Loons’ fixture for the first time this season.

The other cinch league 2 fixtures on Saturday are;- Albion Rovers v Stranraer, Annan Athletic v Elgin City, Stenhousemuir v Bonnyrigg Rose, Stirling Albion v East Fife