Suspensions will hit hard

Forfar manager Gary Bollan will certainly have a selection headache for this Saturday’s visit to Station Park of his former club Airdrieonians.

Apart from long term injury victim Michael Travis, another handful of the Station Park squad are struggling to shrug off niggling injuries and knocks and will receive intensive treatment throughout the week.

However, to compound matters, three of the first current first team line-up will be suspended for the fixture.

Thomas O’Brien’s late red card at East End Park yesterday means he will serve an immediate two-match ban as it was his second red card of the campaign,  which will also see him sit out the Albion Rovers game on the 23rd into the bargain.

The yellow cards picked up Scott Martin and Andy Ryan in the victory over Peterhead were in fact there sixth of the season meaning a one-match suspension for both which kicks in on Saturday.   Andy’s first two bookings came during his loan spell from former club Hamilton Accies to Arbroath earlier in the season.

The eleven players who eventually get the nod to start the game in the Athies colours against the Diamonds will nevertheless be buoyed by a run of only one defeat in their last six outings.

However results elsewhere have not gone our way and as they say the ‘dog fight’ continues to avoid the dreaded drop!

It will certainly be another ninety minutes in which the home support can play their twelfth man part as they have done in recent games against Cowdenbeath, Ayr and Peterhead.