MATCH PREVIEW: Forfar Athletic v Ayr United

The ‘Loons’ go into their last home game of the season on the back of a disappointing five game run without a victory and no doubt keen to get back to winning ways and at the same time send their loyal home support into the summer months with a smile on their face.

However it will be no easy task against an Ayr United side sitting in the final play-off spot, but only one point ahead of Stenhousemuir with just the two fixtures remaining.

The home side will also go into the game minus skipper Gavin Swankie and Stuart Malcolm who are both due to serve one match suspensions, while Neil McCabe remains sidelined.

However on the plus side, the club’s longest serving player Martyn Fotheringham who has agreed to a further one year contract extension returns after injury and Jamie McCluskey is also back to full fitness.

The Somerset Park men have also had a disappointing April, a poor performance at Brechin being followed by a 1-1 draw last week at home to Dunfermline. However many pundits felt that they were unlucky not to take a point at Ibrox on Tuesday night, the final score line 2-1 in the league leader’s favour, the ‘Honest Men’s’ goal scorer 17 year old Alan Forrest.

The visitors took all three points courtesy of a 1-0 win at Station Park on the Saturday before Christmas, having won 2-0 at Ayr in August. However the visitors recorded a hard fought and deserved 3-2 victory at Somerset Park in a midweek joust last month, Swankie with a brace and Chris Templeman the scorers.

At the conclusion of Saturday’s fixture the club’s Player of the Year Awards will be presented and the players will be going all out to ensure that the short on pitch ceremony takes place with all in a buoyant frame of mind following a three point haul.

The match which is sponsored by the club’s Honorary Patron Lord Lyell of Kinnordy will be refereed by Dumbarton based Euan Anderson, a frequent visitor to Station Park over the past couple of seasons.

Season ticket holders should utilise voucher 23.