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Forfar Athletic preview

  • Post published:24 January 2025

Experienced defender Adam Cummins has described the next half a dozen games as “massive”.

Stranraer travel to Forfar Athletic on Saturday having not won there in almost a decade before a midweek trip to Bonnyrigg Rose, where they have never won.

That is then followed by a home clash with The Spartans and a quickfire follow up meeting with Forfar.

Nothing will be decided over the coming few weeks in terms of final league placings but it could significantly impact upon the momentum of a number of teams.

Speaking following the defeat to East Fife, Cummins said: “I think you are into a massive, massive next four, five, six games.

“I think, realistically, before you start looking at games in hand and being up the league, you are wanting to get distance between you and the bottom two.

“You don’t want to spend the whole season thinking ‘if we do this or if we do that we will be sitting outside the play-offs’.

“First and foremost, you have got to make sure that you have got a gap away from the bottom.

“You go and win against Forfar and it is a massive step in the right direction.”

The Blues went down to league leaders East Fife last weekend.

Cummins was recalled to the starting lineup for Saturday’s defeat to East Fife

First half strikes from Jack Healy and Alan Trouten were enough for the visitors to Stair Park.

Recalled Cummins was handed a first start since December 10 and Stranraer’s last victory – a 3-1 triumph over The Spartans.

However, he would rather see the team picking up three points than any personal recognition or accolades.

Speaking after the full time whistle, he said: “I was glad to be back in but we got beat so I would much rather come in and get a win or not be involved and the team gets a win.

“It was good to be back in the team but not good enough from us today.

“It is easy to stand here and kind of make excuses.

“There was definitely a deflection for the first goal and I think when we came off at half time we probably have had the best two chances in the first half and don’t take the chances.

“East Fife are top of the league for a reason and they are a team of good players, good pros, and know how to play in this league, and the league table does not lie at the moment.

“You can dress it up and say it was this or it was that but, on the whole, we all admit it was not good enough today.”

Last meeting

Stranraer’s record at Forfar Athletic is far from great but they took the lead in the last meeting between the two sides.

Dean Hawkshaw capitalised on some slack defending and poked the ball to Max Guthrie, who scored from the edge of the box.

The equaliser arrived when Mark Whatley’s deflected effort fell kindly for Nathan Cannon, who had time to put the ball beyond Jacob Pazikas.

The winner came in the second half when Stranraer’s defending again was far from ideal. A low cross into the box was not dealt with and it eventually came to Blair Malcolm to fire home from a yard or two out.

Forfar Athletic: McCallum, Morrison, Allan, Malcolm, Whatley (McLean 86), Robson, Taylor, Rodden (Mohammed 79), Skelly (MacLean 60), Inglis (Reekie 86), Cannon.
Not used: Cocks, Klimionek and Paris.

Stranraer: Pazikas, Brindley, Cummins, Ross, Ecrepont, Gallagher, Dunlop, Russell (Edgar 87), Hawkshaw (Lang 70), Woods (McIntosh 60), Guthrie.
Not used: McKnight, Adam and Broun.

Last five meetings

  • Forfar Athletic 2 Stranraer 1 (Cannon and Malcolm; Guthrie) at Station Park on September 21, 2024
  • Forfar Athletic 2 Stranraer 0 (Whatley and Morrison) at Station Park on April 27, 2024
  • Stranraer 0 Forfar Athletic 0 at Stair Park on March 2, 2024
  • Forfar Athletic 1 Stranraer 1 (Allan; McDonald) at Station Park on December 2, 2023
  • Stranraer 0 Forfar Athletic 2 (Paterson and Skelly) at Stair Park on September 23, 2023

Last five games

Mark Russell came closest for Stranraer on Saturday

Stranraer

  • LOSS v East Fife (H): 0-2
  • LOSS v Peterhead (A): 0-1
  • DRAW v Clyde (H): 1-1 (Russell (Pen))
  • DRAW v Stirling Albion (A): 1-1 (Russell)
  • DRAW v Edinburgh City (H): 0-0

Forfar Athletic

  • LOSS v Cove Rangers (A): 2-0
  • DRAW v Elgin City (H): 1-1 (Logan)
  • LOSS v East Fife (A): 1-0
  • DRAW v Stirling Albion (H): 2-2 (Rodden and McLean)
  • LOSS v Clyde (A): 2-0

Last time out

Sean McIntosh returned from injury to make a substitute appearance against East Fife

Stranraer

Lineup v East Fife: Kane, Robertson, Cummins, Ross, Ecrepont (Brindley 46), Gallagher, Russell, A Trialist (McIntosh 64), Grant, Guthrie (Lang 46 (Edgar 59)), Foster.
Not used: McKnight, Reid and Lane.

Forfar Athletic

Lineup v Cove Rangers: McCallum, Logan, Morrison, M Allan, Hutchinson, Whatley (Malcolm 67), Robson, Rodden (MacLean 46), Skelly (F Allan 67), Inglis (Taylor 76), Cannon.
Not used: Paris.

Five facts

Chris Aitken scored the winner when the Blues last won at Station Park

1. Stranraer have not won on their last 16 trips to Station Park. The last victory came in September 2015 when Mark McGuigan and Chris Aitken found the net in a 2-1 win. Michael Travis found the net for the hosts.

2. The last time Stranraer went through January without at least picking up a point was 2019. The Blues started the New Year with a 2-1 defeat at home to Montrose (Innes Cameron scored), before a 2-1 loss at Forfar (Cameron again scored). That was followed by a 4-1 defeat at Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup (PJ Crossan was on target) and rounded off with a 4-3 defeat to East Fife (Grant Anderson, Cameron and Joao Victoria) scored.

3. Former Stranraer loan signing John Butler turns 56 on Saturday. He had a brief spell with the Blues in 1992 but was forced to retire through injury. Butler was also part of the Scotland squad that played in the World Youth Championships in Chile in 1987.

4. Former Forfar Athletic man Tomas Brindley and defensive colleague Adam Cummins have both played 22 games this season. They have also played the exact same number of minutes: 1625.

5. Twenty-two years ago, Stranraer and Forfar Athletic met on January 25 in a Scottish Cup clash at Station Park. Kevin Byers had the home side in front before Paul Kerr and Allan Jenkins turned the game on its head. Paul Tosh equalised but Stranraer would win the replay thanks to a goal from Ian Harty. The visiting team at Station Park 22 years ago was: Hillcoat, Wingate, Wright, Farrell, Sharp, Jenkins, Aitken, Finlayson, Harty, Moore, Kerr (Hodge 46). Not used: Curran, Fallon, Kane and McCulloch.

Food and drink

No trip to Forfar is complete without a bridie

Forfar is of course famous for its Forfar Bridie – freshly baked bridies are available at the ground, or from local bakers McLaren’s and Saddlers.

Admission

Station Park is ‘pay at the gate’

Admission at Station Park is on a ‘pay at the gate’ basis – pricing as follows:

  • Adults – £15
  • Concessions – £10
  • U17s – £5

On-street parking is available close to the ground.

Please allow plenty of time for your journey, travel safely and get behind the Blues!

Coverage

Laurence and Brian will be back in the Station Park gantry

Highlights will be out on Sunday, featuring commentary from Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin.

As usual, the manager’s interview will be available on YouTube following the game.

Club 1870 subscribers can catch the goals late on Saturday evening, along with full match footage on Sunday evening.

We’ll have live matchday updates on X (formerly Twitter) for those further afield.

Photos: Bill McCandlish