MATCH PREVIEW: Forfar Athletic v Dunfermline Athletic

The ‘Loons’ welcome the ‘Pars’ to Station Park on Saturday at the conclusion of an amazing five home games in the space of six weekends, hoping to improve on a record of in fact only one home win in the last seven outings at Station Park over ninety minutes of football.

It will certainly be no easy task against a visiting side eight points clear in second spot in the table, although of course a massive twenty three points behind runaway leaders Rangers.

The East End Park outfit like the homesters were on the end of a 4-0 thumping in the cup last weekend, in their case against the aforementioned Rangers at Ibrox. Their three transfer window signings Danny Grainger, Ross Forbes and Jonathan Page were all unavailable for that game however, having been cup tied with their previous employers. All three are likely to be in Saturday’s starting line-up alongside striker Lawrence Shankland, the former Queens Park youngster a loan signing from Aberdeen.

Dick Campbell has no fresh injury worries, but will no doubt ponder whether to freshen the side up after the cup tie defeat from St. Johnstone. Every member of the squad not in last Saturday’s starting eleven got valuable game time in a closed doors fixture against Fife junior outfit Lochore Welfare on Tuesday past, the home side wining 3-1 at the end of the night. Club captain Mark McCulloch also made a return in this fixture, his first game since his horrific injury at Dens Park back in August.

Saturday’s fixture will be a landmark event in the career of veteran goalkeeper Rab Douglas who will be making his 500th senior appearance spanning over twenty years in the senior game. Those appearances of course include nineteen for his country in the early years of the millennium.

Dunfermline have visited Station Park three times since the start of last season, with the home side coming out on top on each occasion. Victories last season in the Ramsdens Cup and the Play-Off Semi final first leg, were followed by a 4-0 success for the home side in the league joust in early October. The spoils were then shared at East End Park in early December, the ‘Pars’ equaliser in a 1-1 draw coming well into added on time.

After Saturday’s visit from the Fifers, Forfar hit the road to Arbroath and Stenhousemuir over the next two Saturdays’ followed by a midweek trip on March 4th to Ayr.

Saturday’s fixture will be refereed by Dunbartonshire whistler Euan Anderson.

The match is sponsored by Scott Murdie and Lesley Deas (Murdeas).

Forfar Athletic season ticket holders should utilise voucher 18.