MATCH PREVIEW: Brechin City v Forfar Atheltic

Forfar Athletic make the short trip to Glebe Park on Saturday for an as ever much anticipated derby clash still clinging on to top spot in the SPFL League One, this despite only picking up two points from their last three games.

They will come up against a home side who despite being down to ten men with still thirty five minutes of the match remaining recorded a 2-1 midweek win over Stirling Albion, their marksmen Robert Thomson and Paul McLean, the latter with his first touch of the ball after coming on as a substitute in the wake of Colin Hamilton’s dismissal. This success came on top of a cup tie victory at Stenhousemuir the previous week for Ray McKinnon’s outfit, who now sit fifth in the very tight table, four points adrift of their Saturday visitors.

The ‘Loons’ won the first clash of the season between the sides, recording a 3-1 win at Station Park in late September. Dale Hilson with a brace and Danny Denholm the home side’s scorers that afternoon, Hamilton who will automatically miss Saturday’s encounter the Brechin marksman.

Dick Campbell does not have his woes to seek ahead of the game with Mark Baxter, Martyn Fotheringham and Derek Young all ruled out through injury, Jim Paterson being due to serve the first of a two game ban for his late red card at Cappielow. Sadly it appears that Derek’s injury will see a longer period on the side lines than had first been envisaged.

Aaron James, now fully fit will also come back into contention, while Danny Denholm and Omar Kader could return to the starting line-up, having being relegated to the bench last weekend.

For many ‘Loons’ fans, the derby will afford a first opportunity to see Scott Smith signed on loan from Dundee United last week in action.

Brechin will have former ‘Loons’ Andy Jackson and Gary Fusco in their ranks and possibly Derek Riordan who has been offered a contract after the maximum three trialist appearances as a sub.

Hopefully there will be a large away support in attendance come 3p.m. on Saturday afternoon, with the players no doubt hopeful of a similar level of backing as received from the vociferous travelling ‘army’ at Dunfermline last month.

The referee is Lanarkshire based first season Grade One official Alan Newlands who handled Forfar’s Petrofac Cup demise at Methil on the season’s opening day.