MATCH PREVIEW: Forfar Athletic v Stenhousemuir

Forfar Athletic will complete the first quarter of to date a successful league campaign when Stenhousemuir are the visitors to Station Park on Saturday.

Whether the ‘Loons’ go into the game as league leaders will depend on the outcome of Friday night’s encounter at Somerset Park when Ayr United entertain Dunfermline Athletic.

Dick Campbell has no fresh injury worries although he is obviously disappointed that the injury Derek Young picked up late in last Thursday night’s training session looks likely to rule him out for longer than had first been anticipated.

James Dale came into the side as Derek’s replacement at Airdrie last Saturday and is almost certain to retain his midfield berth in what will in all probability be an unchanged starting eleven.

Certainly the attacking quartet of Omar Kader, Danny Denholm, Dale Hilson and skipper Gavin Swankie have been in to say the least in exciting mode in the four home games to date and the Station Park faithful will undoubtedly settle for more of the same against the ‘Warriors.’

A handful of the Forfar fringe players got a more than useful run out in a Development League fixture down at Berwick in midweek and there is little doubt that these fixtures with still a slight competitive edge to them have also paid off to date as far as the overall picture at the club is concerned.

The men from Ochilview will travel north on the back of a win and a draw in home fixtures against Morton and Stranraer, which have seen them climb out of the bottom two. Former Scottish international striker and also Scottish Youth team coach Scott Booth now has the reins with the ‘Warriors’ and it was one of his assistants, Player-Coach Colin McMenamin who came off the bench early in last week’s encounter against the Wigtownshire outfit to net both goals for the home eleven.

The visiting Manager also has three former ‘Loons’ players in his squad, central defender Stewart Greacen, midfielder Gregor Fotheringham who had a spell on loan from Rangers a couple of seasons back and striker Martin Grehan, another player who was domiciled at Station Park on a temporary transfer back in his Motherwell days.

Saturday’s fixture has the normal 3 pm kick off, with ground admission, £12 for adults, £6 concessions.

Forfar Athletic season ticket holders should utilise voucher number ten.

The man in the middle is last season’s Scottish Junior Cup Final referee Colin Steven, now a fully fledged Grade One official and subsequently handling a ‘Loons’ fixture for the first time.

The match is jointly sponsored by W.F. Barker Ltd and Greenvale Trading Ltd.

A reminder to supporters of both sides that the 1984 Lounge at the ground will be open from 12.30p.m. until 2.45p.m.re-opening after the final whistle until 7.30 pm.