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SEASON KICKS OFF WITH A CUP TRIP TO STIRLING
FORFAR Athletic return to competitive football this coming Saturday - a week behind the majority of other sides, thanks to a bye in the opening round of the Alba tourney.
Dick Campbell's troops are the only Angus side left in the Alba, as Brechin City, Arbroath and Montrose all made first-round exits on Saturday past.
As they prepare for a trip to the Forthbank Stadium to take on first division Stirling Albion in the opening round of the CIS Cup this Saturday (kick-off 3 pm), the Loons performed with credit on Friday evening, against a young but very skilful Everton side.
In a match staged as part of the Loons 125th anniversary celebrations, a crowd of 752 turned up to watch a highly entertaining ninety minutes in which the home side competed well for the most part, only succumbing to a late Jose Baxter strike to lose by three goals to two.
It was evident from early in the game that there is a fair amount of emerging talent at Goodison, the Toffee-men two goals ahead after only ten minutes.
There was an element of fortune involved in the opener, the impressive Baxter sliding a good ball through to Hope Akran who, with the aid of a slight deflection, managed to fire it under Euan McLean in the Forfar goal.
Two minutes later and another well-weighted through ball proved Forfar's undoing again.
This time it was a Ross Barrilley pass that found James Vaughan, who made no mistake.
But Forfar were far from overawed and it was game on again in 15 minutes, Iain Campbell picking out Martyn Fotheringham, who controlled beautifully before angling the ball wide of the advancing keeper and in off the post.
Both teams played some really neat football thereafter, and the Forfar leveller came in simplistic fashion in the 57th minute.
A corner from the right was flicked on by Chris Templemen for Paul Watson to drill low into the net.
Late in the game, the player who caught many eyes was Everton substitute Bob Sheppers, who was lightning fast and tricky to boot.
Twice he sliced the Forfar defence wide open, on the first occasion his end shot only just clearing the bar.
On the second, with three minutes left on the clock, he skipped clear of several defenders and slid the ball into the path of Jose Baxter, who made it three-two for the visitors on the night.
It meant five straight pre-season reverses for the Loons, but, on what they showed against a talented young Everton side, they should have nothing to fear in the Scottish second division in the weeks and months ahead.
The build-up to the new campaign is set to continue this evening with a Dundee eleven visiting Station Park.
In addition to fine-tuning the players for the competitive fixtures that lie ahead manager Dick Campbell is also working hard behind the scenes in a bid to increase squad numbers.
With Darren Brady and Alastair Divine still recovering from long-term injury and three other players, Steven Tulloch, Iain Campbell and Michael Bolochoweckyj, set to serve early season suspensions, the squad of 18 will become somewhat threadbare.
The manager has had former Loon Paul Lunan and last season's on-loan keeper Euan McLean involved in pre-season friendlies while also spreading the net in search of players to bolster the strike-force.
There has been talk of a couple of on-loan signings from a premier league side in addition to any permanent signings that could be made, and the picture could become a little more clear later this week - and certainly before the opening league match of the season at home to Dumbarton a week on Saturday.
There will be another opportunity for the management team to cast an eye over potential new signings when a Dundee United eleven is at Station Park for a friendly fixture on Tuesday evening of next week.
Meanwhile, those who are planning to take in the CIS Cup match at Stirling this Saturday will need to have deep pockets for the Binos are planning to bite into them by charging a whopping 14 for adults and 7 for concessions at the turnstiles. And, believe me, the pie and bovril won't come cheap either!
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Weather for Kirriemuir
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
