Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Exceptional Forfar aim to close season in style
AFTER an emphatic win over Ferry in the U/13s Diamond Jubilee Cup Final, Forfar Boys are looking to close out a remarkable season with more silverware.
Forfar ran out 9-2 winners over Ferry at North End last weekend, with Kieran Kelly, Dominik Naglik, Ethan Murray, Dagan Bell, Jack Soutar and Jackson Ross all on the scoresheet.
Reflecting on the feat, boss Mark Kelly told the Tele: “We started quickly but I felt it was a case of first cup final nerves setting in.
“The back four didn’t click quite like they have through the season and so we made a few positional changes at half-time and that seemed to settle the team.
“We came out in the second and hit them for five with no reply but it really could have went any way — it has been like that in all competitions this season against several strong sides.”
And after the emotion of the cup final triumph, Kelly is keen to ensure his side use the experience to better themselves.
“Any cup final is a great personal achievement for a player,” he added. “So, most definitely, it can help going forward. However, we had a midweek fixture after the win and it might have been one of our worst of the season.
“There’s an emotional and physical drain after turning out on a pitch like that at North End, and we’ve got to make sure the players can recover.
“You can become a victim of your success, so we have to use it to set them on the right path to bigger things.
The season has been a remarkable one for Forfar — with a trophy in the cabinet and a guaranteed third-placed finish in the league — while battling against the Dundee big boys despite a catchment limitation.
“We’ve exceeded expectations and achieved far above what we had envisaged.
“I don’t want to tempt fate — you quote things in the paper and don’t want everything to dissipate from there,” Kelly joked. “But it has been a phenomenal season.
“The plan last year was to make it to the top league and secure a midtable finish. We’ve surpassed that, reached three cup finals and are still fighting for the league.
“The team is very close, and they are disciplined. Preparation is key and the boys are well-versed on what they need to do.”