The Jags head to Station Park tomorrow afternoon for a Scottish Communities League Cup first-round clash just seven days after they got their Ramsdens Cup campaign off to a low-key start with a 1-0 win over Clyde.
It was to prove a frustrating 90 minutes for Thistle last weekend on a sticky Recreation Park synthetic surface, with a late Kris Doolan effort finally proving decisive.
They will be back on the plastic tomorrow and McNamara knows his side will have to be at their best to see off a Loons outfit who shocked Irn-Bru First Division Dunfermline in their Ramsdens opener. He said: "They will certainly be up for it. I know their manager Dick Campbell (a former Jags manager) really well, he is a terrific guy. He will be happy with their win over Dunfermline.
"We know we will need to go there and be organised and professional. The reports we had said that they are good from set-pieces and have a bit of height in their team. It will be a good test for us.
"I think it will be a different type of surface. Alloa's is a bit older now, you could see that with some of the bounces and the rubber on it. Hopefully the one at Forfar is a bit slicker and it will allow us to pass the ball quicker and run with it too. I don't mind these pitches as long as they are maintained properly. I don't think anything beats grass but I can see more and more of these pitches being used nowadays.
"If they are a decent standard then they are fine. We train on Astroturf at the Firhill Complex and it is a fantastic surface. It is slick and good for passing, the ball doesn't stick. We played Alloa in pre-season and it was pelting with rain, which helped keep it wet on top and the ball moved a bit better."
With the start of the new First Division campaign just days away, victory at the Second Division side would be a timely boost for the Jags as they aim to carry their winning summer run into the league term.
McNamara's side suffered a shock defeat to Berwick Rangers in the League Cup 12 months ago and the Jags boss is keen to avoid another sluggish start to the season.
He said: "It was good to win last week. I think the performance could have been better and we could have been better in the final third.
"It's all about getting through the tie. We had a big disappointment last year losing in the manner we did against Berwick.
"Hopefully we can go up there tomorrow and get the job done professionally and progress into the next round. It would set us up for the Falkirk game next weekend and the start of the league campaign."
* Shaun Fraser and Johnny Lindsay have both left the Jags by mutual consent.
