- Forfar have been a mixed to poor team recently with one win and four defeats in their last five across all competitions.
- Kelty have been a brighter team with three wins and two defeats in their last five away across all competitions.
Two new teams ready for the season
There's no real rivalry angle to this game, but with the momentum of a fresh season behind them, there should still be plenty of intensity in the opening League Two 2026-2027 season clash at Station Park on Saturday.
Kelty are the favourites to win this one at 24/25, with Forfar available at 219/100 and the draw at 131/50, suggesting the bookmakers don't see a Station Park upset here, which makes sense given Kelty have the stronger form coming into this one.
Tam O'Ware's Kelty Hearts will set up in a more progressive 4-3-3, which has been a lot more successful than the pragmatic low block that James Weir's Forfar Athletic are likely to play.
Better team and better away team
The Kelty Hearts have been much the better team with five wins, one draw and four defeats in their last 10, but the Forfar Athletic have been very average with three, one and six in the same period.
The hosts were simply awful in their 0-4 home loss to Partick Thistle in their latest League Cup Group E match and, although the 8-0 drubbing they received at Livingston was away from home, the 3-1 win over Brechin City at home still suggests a fragile set-up.
Forfar's Martin Rennie is carrying the scoring load with two of their three goals in the last five matches, so he will be a big focus here, but there is better depth in Kelty's attacking line with Ryan Shanley having chipped in with two in the same number of games as the Hearts have scored six, so the visitors should be able to play at a higher tempo.
Goals at both ends a given
Kelty Hearts will press high and quick in the channels and Forfar will try to lock in a compact block and sting them on the counter attacks, but the home side will need to be brave as they don't score a lot and the visitors will be able to test the hosts' patience when they play direct.
So, we're looking for a game that goes over the 2.5-goal mark, which is priced at 67/100, and a Kelty Hearts win with both teams to score at 29/50 seems to fit the contest best as the away side have been better.
