MATCH PREVIEW: Brechin City v Forfar Athletic

What a difference a year makes!

Forfar Athletic and Brechin City went in to last season’s New Year derby both with sights on promotion to the Championship. In fact the ‘Loons’ went in to battle that afternoon at Station Park sitting level on points at the top of the table with Stranraer with a game in hand, City some eight points adrift in fifth position.

Ray McKinnon’s City side clinched the points twelve months back, both teams going on to reach the end of season Championship Play-Offs, the rest as they say is history.

They meet again at the Glebe this Saturday with the spectre of a relegation ‘dog fight’ hanging over both sides. Brechin sit in bottom spot in the table, the Athies just three points better off. However it has to be said that since Forfar triumphed 2-0 up at Brechin in September, the Glebe Park side’s record is the more impressive, in fact as has been well documented the Station Park side have not had a three point haul since. Brechin have also picked up four points from their last two home games, a 1-1 draw with Peterhead being followed by a convincing 2-0 success over Stranraer.

There has however been signs of ‘shoots’ of recovery for Gary Bollan’s side over the past couple of Saturday’s. A gutsy 1-1 draw at Albion Rovers was followed by a terrific effort against all the odds in dreadful overhead conditions against runaway league leaders Dunfermline at Station Park last weekend, which brought in the end no reward for their efforts.

The new management team at Station Park have now had three training sessions to get to know their players and they were delighted to see Thomas O’Brien take a full part on Wednesday evening.

Omar Kader also returned to the fray in midweek, following his business commitments in New Zealand, but whether he finds a spot on the bench on Saturday will be an interesting decision.

Mark Baxter and Michael Dunlop will again miss out through injury, while Michael Rose will play his final game before returning to his parent club Aberdeen.

Darren Hill listed officially as a trialist against the ‘Pars’ will be registered on an 18 month contract prior to kick-off on Saturday.

Brechin who won the Station Park encounter between the sides courtesy of an Andy Jackson goal in late October have been boosted over the past couple of months by the performances of on loan Isaac Layne a forward with tremendous pace and certainly one to watch for the visiting defenders.

City who lost 2-1 in a quagmire at Ayr last Saturday, Robert Thomson their marksman, have Player-Manager Darren Dods avaiable after a one match suspension.

This is the first of a run of three away games on the bounce for Gary Bollan and his troops and given the nature of the game, the fact that it is a local derby and the time of year, hopefully they will be able to count on a substantial and vocal travelling support.

The match will be refereed by experienced Ayrshire based whistler Kevin Graham.