Author: kcandy

MATCH REPORT: Celtic 4 Forfar Farmington 0

Forfar Farmington head coach Mark Nisbet vows that his side will learn from their mistakes after losing 4-0 in their opening league game on Sunday against Celtic.

A Suzanne Mulvey hat-trick along with a Kirstin McGuire goal ensured that Farmington started the season bottom of the table.

Speaking after the game, Nisbet said “I’m never happy to be beaten and certainly not when we gift the opponent easy goals in the way we did. It’s something we need to learn quickly as at this level you simply won’t get away with it but I’m sure we will resolve this in the coming weeks.”

Kirsty Deans hit the bar when the score was 2-0 with Celtic scoring soon after and Nisbet felt that if the effort has found the net it may have changed the game.

He said: “It would have been interesting if that had gone in as we were having a really good spell of pressure at the time. We spoke to the players at half time and said if we could get the next goal it would give us a chance. Unfortunately not longer after that happened we conceded the 3rd and the game was finished. These are the fine margins we face at times and on occasions these things go for you and sometimes they don’t.”

Georgie Rafferty almost opened the scoring for the hosts in the 7th minute but couldn’t keep her shot down. Two minutes later Sophie Milligan rose to meet a Julia Scott corner but her header was cleared off the line.

Celtic took the lead in the 17th minute when Mulvey capitalised on a poor pass to curl past Fiona McNicoll and it was two just four minutes later; a ball across the box was bundled home by Kirstin McGuire.

The Forfar defence was tested a few times throughout the first half but managed to deny Celtic again and again until half time.

They came out for the second half stronger and in the 52nd minute Kirsty Deans went close after a lay off from Tori Sousa but her shot was deflected into the arms of Megan Cunningham.

Amy Gallacher fired wide twice in quick succession before Deans rattled the Celtic crossbar with a driven shot inside the box.

Mulvey grabbed her second in the 77th minute when she stabbed home a Joanne Paton cross and with the game in the final few seconds lobbed McNicoll to complete her hat-trick.

The side now travel to face Spartans next week and Nisbet reckons there were positives to take ahead of preparing for next Sunday.

“I wasn’t too disappointed with the actual performance of the team as I felt we competed well and posed a threat going forward. Lapses in concentration and remembering the game plan have cost us and that’s down thing we will work hard to resolve for this week’s game. There were a lot of positives to come from the game at the weekend so we will take them and look to improve for the trip to Spartans.”

MATCH REPORT: Monifieth U17 0 v Farmington U17 7

The U17 squad made the short journey to Monifieth for their first away league encounter of the new season. This was the first match between these teams for over a year with Monifieth having elected to remain at U15s whilst Farmington played up at U17s a year early.

 

Underfoot conditions were not very good for both teams due to the long spell of wet weather that the area experienced over the last few months.

 

Farmington in an unaccustomed 4-3-3 formation were on the front foot from the first whistle and that set the tone for the majority of the game.

 

Carrie Hoggan scored after 10 mins with a goal at the far post after good link up play between Zoe Moreland and Erin Ross.

 

Sophie Young made it 2 after 25 mins with a neatly clipped shot after a good through ball by Zoe Moreland.

 

HT 2-0

 

Anne Murie scored after 20 mins in the second half right footing home a low driven corner from the right from Sally Patterson.

 

Kirrin Gellatly scored 2 mins later with an almost carbon copy of the previous goal from a corner.

 

Zoe Moreland scored 25 mins after she perfectly timed her run in at the back post to finish after a driving run and cross by Carrie Hoggan.

 

Kirrin Gellatly completed her brace 30 mins  after she swept the ball home after good work on the right by Tammy McLaren.

 

Sally Patterson wrapped up the scoring for Farmington with a well struck penalty on 38 mins after Sophie Young was bundled to the ground.

 

In a game where Farmington dominated from start to finish credit must go to a very dogged and determined Monifieth side who showed some very good defending and teamwork. Credit must also go to the home keeper who had some excellent saves.

MATCH REPORT: Farmington U-15s 9 Raith Rovers U-15 0

Station Park played played host to Forfar Farmington U15s second game of the season and it saw the girls put in a very impressive performance which resulted in a convincing win against their opponents from Raith Rovers.

 

From the minute the match kicked-off Forfar pressed the ball at every opportunity and generally dominated in possession. The girls from Raith worked very hard to get in the game however the possession play and pace of attack across the team from Forfar meant that they limited their opponents time and opportunity  to impose themselves on the match.

 

The deadlock was broken after five minutes when the ball was played out to the edge of the box to Neve Guthrie who immediately controlled the ball before firing in a crisp low effort across the keeper that flashed into the far corner. Immediately from the restart a second goal was almost on the board via a fierce drive from Philip McCallum which was tipped on to the bar by Raith’s keeper – a great drive and a great save! The second goal always looked like it was coming and when the ball fell to Kacey McCabe from a corner she cleanly passed it into the nest with her left foot to put Forfar two up. Phillipa was not to be denied however and when she picked the ball up on the edge of the box she fired in a firmly placed shot that the keeper just couldn’t hold. A fourth duly arrived when Aimee Robertson was quickest to react to fire home from close range.after the keeper had parried a lovely header from Phillipa McCallum

 

Forfar continued to press their opponents  however the score remained 4-0 as the first half came to a close.

 

The second half saw Forfar once again on the front foot from the off and they went further ahead with two goals from Katie Whyte with the pick of these coming from a brilliantly timed overlapping run on the left side of the pitch to pick up the ball from a lovely sweeping move before flashing in a fierce left-footed strike that fairly pinged into the net. Katie played very well all game however she took a bad shoulder knock pretty late in the game as a result of a slip – we hope that she is not too shaken up by her fall. Neve Simpson then took her opportunity to show that she could add a striking dimension to her defending and midfield repertoire when she scored three goals in quick succession. The pick of these being a pearler of a curled drive that nestled in the far corner of the Raith goal – a peach of a strike. Phillipa McCallum’s pressing and committed display was rewarded late in the game when she finished off a great move involving Neve Simpson and Taylor Cliffiord and it was Taylor who ending the scoring when she outpaced the Raith defence to pick up on a lovely through ball from Aimee Robertson to fire a fine drive into the far corner.

 

A very impressive performance today throughout the team with some really beautiful passing and possession play on display that was most certainly complemented by a real sense of team cohesion and togetherness.

 

Thanks must be given to our opponents from Raith Rovers who showed great spirit as a team and who competed for every ball for the whole game.

Club Adopt GPS Tracking with Playertek

After extensive testing The Club are pleased to be working with Playertek, based in Ireland, whose GPS units will be worn primarily by our #SWPL1 squad but in testing have already been utilised by selected Academy players.
 
Ewan Greenhill, Farmington’s Head of Sports Science and Medicine, said: “As a team, we see GPS monitoring as a very useful tool. The results we get, both from training and matches, help us to objectively quantify how are players are performing, and combined with our other monitoring tools, we can make informed coaching decisions. The product Playertek have designed and developed is lightweight, reliable, and simple to use but retaining the quality of product we wish to be working with.”
 
The GPS units will primarily be used to help Head Coach Mark Nisbet during the newly restructured SWPL set up but as part of the Youth Sports Science Plan Academy teams will be exposed to the tool also. The Head Coach commented, “We have been very impressed with the system and their support through our trial. This will be a massive aid in our individual player and team development in the future”.
 
Playertek also work with Celtic, who Nisbet’s side face this Sunday at K-Park Stadium.
Megan McCarthy

McCarthy Pleased to Avoid Slip up

Megan McCarthy was pleased that Forfar Farmington overcame a potential banana skin in their League Cup win over Hearts on Sunday.

The 23 year old defender joined the club in December from Inverness City and grabbed the second goal in the 3-0 victory while playing as a striker.

Speaking after the game, the goalscorer reckons the side have what it takes to prove those who have written them off as relegation candidates already.

The game was played on a surface plagued with problems due to the recent weather and both teams had to adapt to it, with McCarthy pleased at how well Forfar did.

She said: “I thought that it was a tricky game considering the pitch we were playing on; we are not used to that kind of surface but none the less both teams had to play on it so it would have been difficult for both of us.”

“We had some nice passages of play and I thought defensively we played very well the girls at the back had a great game. I’m excited to play against Hibs in the next round. I’m also chuffed I got a goal on my debut and hopefully I can get a few more for the club.”

McCarthy has had a spell previously at Forfar in 2012 and after cutting it short to return to Inverness again she returned to join previous City teammates Kirsty Deans and Julia Scott which she claims made the decision easier. “Forfar have a really good set up which impressed me. From being at the club before I knew how much commitment you get from everyone from the coaches to the players. Two of my old team mates were joining at the same time too which helped made the decision easier.”

“From playing against Forfar previously I was impressed by their shape and their fight. It was obvious they had practiced drills and the players knew what to do and where to be at all times, they were difficult to defend against.”

With the league season due to start this Sunday away to Celtic, McCarthy believes that Mark Nisbet’s side are more than capable of shocking a few critics of the side, commenting “I think this year we have the potential to surprise a few clubs. We have a lot of good players to choose from each week and you have to fight for your place in the team so all the girls will be giving it their all. I believe we have had a good pre season and the team is positive about the league.”

“I hope that we can finish well in the table at the end of the year, we have discussed where we want to be so I hope that we make that happen. As for myself, I would like be to be in the starting 11 for games, there are a lot of talented players at the club wanting to play in the same positions so I will just have to work hard to keep my place.”

Napier can’t wait for Season to get Underway

Midfielder Holly Napier says that she can’t wait to get the season underway on Sunday when Forfar Farmington travel to take on Hearts in Dalkeith.

The 20 year old vice captain also spoke of her delight at the return of Tori Sousa after their perfect chemistry on the field last year.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s game, Napier believes that the preparation from Mark Nisbet’s squad has gone fantastically for them, with everyone eager to get going.

“Preparation for this game has been very clear and we know exactly what it is we need to do this weekend. We have had a handful of games together and in each and every game we have played, there has been an improvement both individually and as a team.”

She continued: “We are all starting to work together and get used to each other’s way of playing. The bond this team has on and off the pitch is great and it’s starting to show in our performances leading up to the season starting.”

Forfar Farmington v Glasgow Girls - Pre-season friendly at Station Park

The side have been in top form throughout pre-season; scoring sixteen goals in three games while conceding just one. Holly feels that although pre-season has been difficult for everyone it has made the squad stronger and reckons they are more than prepared for the season ahead.

She said “Pre season has been tough for everyone however we all know that we are in a great place now because of it. Both technically and physically we are strong and I truly believe this will become an advantage for us this season. From the very beginning we know what it is we have set out to do and we will make sure that it is fulfilled.”

Napier rejoined Forfar in 2014 following a year in America with Martin Methodist Redhawks and after netting five goals while grabbing five assists, she hopes to improve on that in 2016. “On a personal level I would love to continue playing as much as I did last season. I would love to secure a starting position again and be able to maintain this throughout the whole season. A few more goals and assists wouldn’t be too bad either!”

Forfar Farmington v Glasgow Girls - Pre-season friendly at Station Park

Last week saw the return of Tori Sousa from America and after impressive performances alongside each other last season, Napier is pleased to see her back in a Forfar shirt.

“I’m delighted to have Tori back; we are both very similar players so I think that’s why you could say we link up well together. I always know where she is on the park so she’s someone that’s very easy to play alongside.”

“The whole team are starting to get used to each other and finding out exactly what each player is like individually in training and in our games. Each and every person in this team hold their own and we all have each other’s backs, that’s why we will all work so hard for each other this year. I’m excited for this season to start and show everyone that we are a team that people will not look forward to playing against.”

This Sunday’s game is at King’s Park in Dalkeith with a 2:00pm kick off. Admission is £3 for adults while children under the age of twelve can attend the game for free.

Award for Kacey

Everyone at the club was delighted to receive the news of of our Youth Player Kacey McCabe winning ‘Young Volunteer of the Year’ at the Dundee Sports Awards.

kaceymccabe - young volunter of the year

The awards ceremony, which took place in the city’s Caird Hall last night, regonised the sporting contribution of a wide array of Teams, Coaches and Volunteers within the Dundee City area.

Kacey, a member of our U-15s programme, was recognised for her efforts in coaching her old Primary School team at Clepington Primary School.

Congratulations Kacey from all at ‪#‎FClub‬

Deans Hopes to Make Big Impression

Kirsty Deans has spoken of her delight to join a club that has as much talent as Forfar Farmington has and hopes she can make a big impression.

The 24 year old midfielder signed from Inverness City early last month and links up with fellow ex-City teammates Julia Scott and Megan McCarthy as the side aims to reach the top five of the new slimmed down Premier League.

Having spent her entire career at City prior to this season, Deans admits that at first she was a bit unsure about leaving the recently relegated side to join Forfar but once she had trained with Mark Nisbet’s squad it was an easy decision to make.

Deans said: “It feels brilliant to have joined Forfar this season. They have a phenomenal set up and there is an exciting group of hugely talented girls at Forfar; I hope that I can learn a lot from them and develop as a player.”

She continued: ”When the opportunity arose to sign for Forfar I was very surprised and a little unsure of the prospect, however once I had been down a couple of times I knew that it was a challenge that I wanted to accept. Although the standard is very high, all the girls were so welcoming and that made the decision a lot easier.“

Forfar Farmington v Glasgow Girls - Pre-season friendly at Station Park

The Inverness based midfielder also believes that fellow SWPL1 teams will be shocked at the talent in the young squad and reckons they can use this to their advantage with some quarters seemingly writing the team off as heading for relegation already. “With only 8 teams in the league this year we are under no illusion that every game is going to be tough. Having had such a successful preseason, however, I feel we are more than ready to go and challenge any team in the league. With a great mixture of experience and youth in the squad I think the other teams will be very surprised with the quality we will bring and we will be able to use our ‘underdog’ tag to our advantage.”

“I am very much looking forward to the upcoming season and I believe we will really state our intentions from the start. We have set ourselves the target of a top 5 finish and I believe as long as we keep the intensity up we will be able to achieve this target. I’m very much looking forward to developing at Forfar this season and I hope I can help contribute to a successful season for Forfar Farmington.”

The team begin their competitive season this weekend with a visit to Hearts in the League Cup and Deans feels that if they can replicate their impressive pre-season form they will see themselves through to the next round.

“Next weekend at Hearts will be an exciting prospect to kickstart the season. If we are able to replicate the type of performance we demonstrated in spells this weekend I think it will be a successful day in the capital.”

Four New Senior Faces

Stephanie Milne, Joanna Collier, Shaylen Anderson and Tori Sousa sign on for our Premier side.

Tori and Joanna will play for our SWPL side while Stephanie and Shaylen will play initially for our development side.

U-15s & U-17s Get Boost from Bertie

The impressive Farmington youth section continues to provide an excellent pathway for players in the area to achieve their potential. The most recent example of this is the progression of Erin Ross, Zoe Moreland, Ellie Cook & Anne Murrie who have been promoted a year early from the Club’s successful U15s side to continue their development in a higher age group.

Also joining the squad is Sally Patterson who will be playing U17 football this season to allow her to focus on her studies. With her experience at senior level she will be a good addition to the squad.

The recent “new” recruits to the U17 squad are looking forward to the challenge that faces them in the new season and their ability will undoubtedly show as the season progresses.

Pre-season training is well underway for the Farmington U15 and U17 squads with combined sessions with former world kickboxing champion George Bertie at his Results Fitness Studio in Forfar.

The sessions are aimed at being fun and to allow the players to work on speed, agility and plyometrics to complement their footballing activities. Judging by the smiles on their faces at the end they are clearly enjoying the sessions that are laid on by George.

The joint sessions are held to ensure that the squads are integrated and emphasise the community club ethos we have here at Forfar Farmington. This gym session is to remain a regular feature for the girls as they build up their strength to prepare for the new season and will continue throughout the year to ensure the high standard is maintained.