By Craig Smith

EAST FIFE will kick-off their Alba Challenge Cup campaign by welcoming Dick Campbell’s Forfar to Methil for this afternoon's first round tie.

Former Fife duo Kevin Fotheringham and Chris Templeman are in line for a quick return to New Bayview having joined the Loons in the summer, although the Fifers themselves have added a few new faces including new club captain Scott Thomson, keeper Stewart Baillie, defender Darren Gourlay, midfielder Aaron Conway and striker Mark Staunton.

All of the new signings will be looking to impress in the club’s first competitive game of the new season and particularly after their 7-1 home thrashing at the hands of Dunfermline on Tuesday night.

Although the likes of the influential Bobby Linn were missing in midweek and it was only a friendly, manager Stevie Crawford described that performance as unacceptable and is clearly looking for a response.

“I’m not going to slate people, but that will just not do,” he said. “We’ve been working really hard in pre-season, but that was a lesson.

“We’ve got to try to take something positive from the game—it’s a case of do we learn from that or just feel sorry for ourselves.

“It’s vital that we pick ourselves up now for the game against Forfar.”

Crawford is likely to have a relatively full squad to choose from, although Goran Stanic is expected to remain sidelined.