Albion Rovers 0 Forfar Athletic 1

Match Report

Albion Rovers 0-1 Forfar Athletic

Forfar recorded a third win on the road with another gritty performance under Ray McKinnon against an inform Albion Rovers side.

The first half was a cagey affair with both sides struggling to get to grips with a heavy Cliftonhill surface.

Craig Thomson was unlucky not to give the Loons the lead in the 10th minute, however. He saw his shot rebounding off the post and cleared by the Rovers defence.

Seb Ross and Nathan Flanagan both had efforts throughout the first half but couldn’t beat the Rovers keeper, whilst the hosts kept Marc McCallum on his toes with shots on goal in an end to end opening 45 minutes.

Andy Munro came close to putting the visitors in front on the stroke of half time when he just missed the target with a powerful header after a corner.

Halftime 0-0.

Forfar thought they had taken the lead just a minute or two after the break when Nathan Flanagan finished a move but it was chalked off for a foul in the build up.

Forfar did take the lead in the 61st minute. Finn Robson capitalised on a miscued Jack Leighfield goal kick after the keeper lost his footing, to score his first goal in Forfar colours. Robson holding off the defenders challenge to calmly slot the ball past the floundering keeper.

The Athies defended well to hold onto their lead against the previously free scoring Albion side, and Adam Hutchinson and Marc McCallum in particular proved to be thorns in the side of the hosts attacks.

Seb Ross would spurn an opportunity to wrap up the tie deciding to go on his own with the keeper saving it, instead of squaring to Flannigan who would of tapped into an empty net.

Both Darren Watson and Max Gillies came on for their Forfar bow replacing Nathan Flannigan and Ben Armour.

Albion Rovers 0-1 Forfar Athletic.

In the end, Forfar survived the late push fairly comfortably and claimed another three points on the road. The gritty performance meant a 5th win in 6 league games for Ray McKinnon’s men, who now sit in 5th position, just 2 points behind 3rd place Annan who have played a game more.

Thankfully the Loons return to Station Park for next two games, a visit from Stranraer next week then Stenhousemuir the following week knowing a couple of wins could be enough to bump them into the promotion play off spots.