MATCH PREVIEW: Forfar Athletic v Stenhousemuir

After four defeats on the road, admittedly two of them in extra time against Championship opponent Dundee in cup competitions, Dick Campbell’s side will be glad to be back on home soil when Martyn Corrigan’s ‘Warriors’ visit Station Park on Saturday.

The ‘Loons’ have still to register a league win, in fact their last success was against Rangers, but they will take some solace in their performances at Dens, although their league form in the Ayr and Brechin fixtures was disappointing on their own admission.

The visitors have had two 1-0 league successes at home to Stranraer and away to Airdrie, prior to an extraordinary odd goal in nine defeat from Dunfermline at Ochilview last week. At one point they had been 4-2 ahead with the game well into it’s last quarter.

The visitors as ever will pin a lot of hope on their giant striker John Gemmill whom the homesters found ‘hot’ to handle last term.

The Station Park side go into a league game this season for the first time free of suspension worries though Mark McCulloch sadly now looks likely to be sidelined for some time following his early ‘retiral’ from the fray in the Ramsdens tie last week. Long term injury victims Keith Gibson and Derek Soutar continue their rehabilitation, while a couple of other players have niggling knocks and could face late fitness tests. However this term the home side look like they have on paper the depth of pool to cope with such problems.

The home support will be looking forward to seeing Dale Hilson who looked exceptionally sharp at Dens on Tuesday in action, having returned to the club for what is in fact his fourth spell on loan from United.

Last term Forfar won the two early season jousts with Stenny, 4-0 and 3-2, before losing 2-0 at Ochilview in the first week of 2013. The final game ended in a hard fought and exciting 3-3 draw in early spring at Station Park.

Saturday’s confrontation will be refereed by Ayrshire based Greg Aitken, who has had couple of European trips on fourth official duty already this season and will be sponsored by Greenfield Sports Turf Systems who provided Station Park’s 3G playing surface.

Season ticket holders should utilise voucher 7.