MATCH PREVIEW: Brechin City v Forfar Athletic

Dick Campbell’s side will go into their third away game within a week at Glebe Park on Saturday buoyed by their performance at Dens Park even in defeat on Tuesday past.

However following a home draw with Airdrie and an away defeat at Ayr, the ‘Loons’ will be keen to record their first league victory of the season over their local rivals, never an easy task.

The home side did not have the best of starts to the campaign with defeats in both the Ramsdens and League Cup competitions to Peterhead and Stranraer respectively, both away from home, before losing at Ibrox on the opening day of the league campaign. They bounced back last Saturday registering a 2-0 home win over East Fife on their lush new Glebe Park playing surface, this after extensive works were carried out in the close season.

Last season City finished ahead of Forfar in third position in the old Division Two table, like their Station Park counterparts falling the semi final stage of the play-offs. In the four contests between the sides during the 2012/13 campaign, the ‘Loons’ won a drab opening encounter by the only goal at Station Park before with Ray McKinnon in charge following the dismissal of Jim Weir, Brechin recorded two successes by some considerable margin in November and early January. However in a thrill a minute midweek encounter at the Glebe in April, the Station Park men picked up the three points with a 4-3 win.

Brechin have made a handful of astute close season signings while Forfar will go into the game minus the suspended Darren Dods following last Saturday’s red card. Mark McCulloch also serves the third game of his suspension carried forward from last season although injury would probably also have ruled him out following the ligament damage he encountered in the Ramsdens tie at Dundee.

Michael Dunlop has moved to Berwick Rangers on loan till the end of the year, but Martyn Fotheringham could well return to the pool following injury.

Last season’s Player of the Year Iain Campbell is available for a league game for the first time this term.

The as ever eagerly anticipated derby clash will be refereed by Euan Anderson who handled both of the ‘Loons’ Scottish cup ties with Nairn County last term.