East Kilbride v Forfar Athletic – Match Preview

The ‘Loons’ head to Lanarkshire on Saturday looking to end the first month of the year with the victory that has so far eluded them since 2026 dawned.

It will as ever as Jim Weir acknowledges be no easy task against an East Kilbride side who sit second in the league table, this despite two defeats on home turf in recent times. Last Saturday, Mick Kennedy’s outfit went down 2-0 to Stranraer, before losing out to the tune of 6-0 to table toppers and now odds on favourites for the title Spartans on Tuesday evening.

The Athies go into the contest on the back of a 1-0 home defeat to Stirling Albion, which saw a four point gap open up to Stranraer, the side currently occupying the final play-off spot. The management team were disappointed with the stop/start nature of the overall performance in that fixture, a factor that has perhaps epitomised the league campaign to date. As the manager commented we are probably the only one of the ten teams in League2 who to date have not produced a run of consistently positive results, a fact that Jim and his colleagues are desperate to put right.

Blair Alston listed as a trialist sub in the last three fixtures became the ‘Loons’ second January signing in midweek, the midfield player best remembered for his spells with Kilmarnock and St. Johnstone brought in to add experience and hopefully some much needed guile to the ‘engine room’ in the weeks ahead.

The home side have brought in a handful of new faces in recent weeks, the latest defender Andrew Kyle from Celtic on loan joining former Rangers midfield player Ben Williamson and St. Johnstone keeper Craig Hepburn who spent the first half of the season on loan at Brechin amongst others who have bolstered the ‘K’ Park playing squad.

The Forfar Athletic players will obviously go into the fixture keen to avenge the two defeats they have suffered at the hands of their opponents already this season, especially the 5-0 reverse with Cammy Elliott netting four of the home side’s goals on our first ever visit to face ‘Kilby’ on an ill fated day in many ways back in late August. Jim Weir looking ahead to the fixture is focused on his players eradicating the many simple errors they made in the two previous outings against the league newcomers which cost them dearly and hopefully being on the front foot from the first whistle this time round against admittedly tough opponents.

On the availability front the good news is Stuart Morrison should be back in full training within two weeks, while youngster Lyle Wark has returned with the best wishes of all to his parent club Rangers.

That apart there are thankfully for once no new injury or illness worries to report!

Greg Soutar is the man in charge of Saturday’s contest.

Admission prices and match day information at K Park;-

Adults £15
Concessions (16 & 0ver/65 & over) £10
Under 16’s £5

Tickets can be purchased in advance via Fanbase at the following link where you will receive your QR code for entry;- https://app.fanbaseclub.com/club/east-kilbride-fc or see EKFC website page for more detail.

Cash turnstiles are also available on match day.

Please note that car parking at K Park is restricted to players and officials only. Car parking for supporters is available in Colonsay Field which is to the left of the main Country Park entrance and also within the nearby Kelvin Industrial Estate.

Saturday’s other William Hill League2 fixtures;- Annan Athletic v Clyde, Dumbarton v Edinburgh City, Elgin City v The Spartans, Stirling Albion v Stranraer