MATCH PREVIEW: Peterhead v Forfar Athletic

Gary Bollan and his players head to the Buchan coast this Saturday to take on Scotland’s form team Peterhead.

The ‘Blue Toon’ outfit have now gone unbeaten in their last twelve league games, last Saturday’s 2-1 win down at Ayr thanks to goals from Shane Sutherland and Rory McAllister lifting them into second place in the Ladbrokes League 1 table.

Jim McInally the January Manager of the Month in the division and his squad also have a Petrofac Cup Final at Hampden in April to look forward to.

Jim will however not be able to field an unchanged side on Saturday as Scott Ross was shown a second yellow card in the dying embers of the Somerset Park clash.

Forfar however will surely take heart from a much improved second half performance against Stranraer last Saturday when victory should have been secured and also from the fact that they took a well deserved point from their October visit to the Balmoor Stadium.

That afternoon, the ‘Loons’ were one down at half-time thanks to a Nicky Riley goal, but counters from Gavin Swankie and Iain Campbell put them 2-1 up, prior to Leighton McIntosh netting an 80th minute equaliser for the home eleven.

However in the return joust at Station park in December the visitors ran out to say the least fairly convincing 2-0 victors.

The Station Park management team have now brought in five new faces since their reign began back in late December and all are likely to feature on Saturday with Steven Craig the latest arrival due to start up front along side Andy Ryan the scorer of such an impressive counter against the Stair Park men.

Michael Travis is of course ruled out for the season, while Gavin Malin limped off in the opening minutes of Tuesday night’s Development League fixture.

Martyn Fotheringham, Danny Denholm and Omar Kader all got valuable game time in that match.

There is no doubt that the Station Park squad has been strengthened  in recent weeks and that elusive victory hopefully is just around the corner.

Saturday’s game will be refereed by second season Grade One official Gavin Ross.

For ‘Loons’ fans heading to the Balmoor Stadium, a reminder that no cash is accepted at the actual trunstiles with tickets having to be purchased from the ticket office at the ground which is open from 1p.m.

Admission charges for the ground are £12 for adults, £6 concessions.