There were more than a few touches of ‘Groundhog Day’ about this match as Forfar’s largest crowd of the season watched a harrowing 0-0 draw with Stirling Albion at The Alpha Projects Stadium @ Station Park on Saturday. Fans would stare at phones and bite nails to the quick on this breezy spring afternoon with equal doses of hope and fear on their minds.
The home team, having been 10 points adrift at the foot of League 2 at the end of February, also going through a 224 minute goal drought needed only a draw against the Forthbank Stadium outfit, whilst keeping a close eye on Bonnyrigg Rose; themselves going through their own improbable Easter resurrection. Here was the real bottom line: Forfar had to avoid defeat to Stirling Albion (who themselves had nothing really to play for) or face the indignity of the playoffs and possibly an end to their proud 104-year presence in Scottish league football.
Forfar started with an attacking look with Danny Denholm in his final professional game in a very unusual left back position, a role which he fulfilled with great positional play, some superb challenges and fine runs along the left wing all game.
The first few minutes were Stirling's, as they won a couple of corners, one of which led to what would be their best chance of the afternoon. A ball was curled in towards the 6-yard box from a corner, and there was a moment of confusion as Forfar tried to clear the ball, ex-Forfar, Dale Hilson, involved and looking dangerous, before the ball could be cleared away by Forfar's Reuben McAllister.
What followed was fairly equal play, with the swirling wind clearly having an impact. Stirling's James Graham had a dangerous attack smothered by McCallum and both Forfar’s Ross MacLean and Russell McLean had decent sights at goal. In the 15th minute, Inglis found himself clear in on the Stirling goal, but his shot was too near Gaston, the Stirling number 1. Then Russell McLean had a great chance, near in, but again, his shot was far too near the Stirling keeper.
A cynical foul on Forfar's Craig Slater then led to a free kick in a promising position 25 yards out. The teasing cross that followed was met by Forfar captain on the day, Matty Allan, at the far post, but yet again, Gaston was happy to find Allan’s weak header straight into his gloves.
Then, in the 27th minute, some great interplay between Stirling's dogged number 19, Wright, and Dale Hilson saw Wright hit a dipping shot that appeared to have the Forfar keeper beaten as the ball just cleared the bar, swirling away from McCallum.
Forfar continued to press for the rest of the first half. Alex Ferguson and Rueben McAllister looked to link up with but were often frustrated by the everly reliable McGeachie and Kerr at the centre of the Stirling back four, with Stirling's Scott Constable often looking dangerous coming from deep, down the right-hand side.
Just before half time, Stirling’s Wright again found himself in a dangerous position, only to be foiled by a perfectly timed Danny Denholm challenge.
The second half began quietly, until Stirling's Wright and Shanley linked up beautifully, with the play broken down following a timely tackle along the 6-yard line by Forfar’s impressive full back, Cammy Logan. Forfar then won a series of set pieces, all of which came to nothing, whilst Stirling picked up two bookings during this phase of play.
The 59th minute saw another great challenge by Forfar’s Logan on Stirling’s Dale Hilson, who had been full of pace and energy all afternoon. In 64 minutes, Slater, for Forfar, slipped a great pass through to Forfar’s big striker, Russell McLean, but – as in the first half – the shot was again too near the Stirling keeper to cause any problems.
66 minutes saw Brad Rodden come on for Forfar, replacing Russell McLean and then it was Forfar’s Kieran Inglis’s turn to have a clear shot straight at Derek Gaston.
As time marched on the Forfar fans – even if further dismayed by the turn of events down in Stranraer – kept the faith, still urging Forfar on, the crowd in excellent voice.
In 76 minutes the pacy Nathan Cannon replaced the impressive Reuben McAllister and the rest of the game seemed as if it would last forever as play went from end to end with few opportunities for either side.
Even though Forfar number 1, Marc McCallum did not have to make a save all game and Forfar managed 6 shots on target themselves, in the 93rd minute, it looked like none of these stats would matter and that it could be all over for Forfar, as Stirling’s Dale Carrick found himself charging into the Forfar box and through on goal. Thankfully Duncan Williams’s subsequent whistle was only for a foul on the Forfar keeper and all Forfar fans could breathe again until the final whistle a matter of moments later.
The crowd erupted as if they’d won a major trophy, wildly celebrating this 0-0 draw for what it was: the future of this great old team, and for what the Loons means to those present and to the town of Forfar as a whole.
Being the final game of the season, speeches and awards had long been planned to follow at the end of the match. A large part of the crowd remained to hear Forfar manager Jim Weir, emotionally reminding the crowd of where the team had come from under his second tenure, and going on to make a promise that this kind of frantic, last-chance saloon match would never happen again while he was at Forfar, in what proved to be a poignant speech that even the most cynical onlooker could not have listened to without dabbing a few tears away.
Attendance 995.
Match report by Alex Colquhoun.
