Veteran goalkeeper Stephen Grindlay has not ruled out helping Stranraer again after answering an 11th hour call to help out.
The former Ayr United and Dumbarton shotstopper made a surprise appearance on the bench for the Blues for Saturday’s goalless draw with Peterhead.
Manager Chris Aitken was forced into a change when Josh Lane was ruled out through injury and Sam Kane promoted to the team.
That meant a space on the bench and a call to Grindlay, who turned 43 on Thursday.
Speaking after the full-time whistle, he said: “I’m good friends with the manager and he has called me a couple of times to help him out.
“Today I was free and I thought I would go for it.
“Sam did very well today.
“I, obviously, don’t know the two goalkeepers but he did very well.
“It is horrible as a goalkeeper and you have to take your chance when it comes and he has done well today.
“Good luck to him.
“I got a text yesterday just after I had come off the golf course and I got back to Chris.
“He has asked me a couple of times because they have had a wee bit of an issue with goalkeepers but I have been busy.
“I just helped out today because I was not busy.”
Grindlay, who made more than 200 appearances for Dumbarton over two spells, has become the seventh shotstopper to be named in a Stranraer matchday squad this season.
As well as Kane and Lane, the Blues have listed Harry Broun, Robbie Mutch and Jacob Pazikas, while John Gibson was an unused substitute for the Scottish Cup tie with Broxburn Athletic.
Grindlay, who was with Newcastle United as a youngster, was not called upon on Saturday.
But he said: “With goalkeeping, experience is a great thing and I have got loads of that.
“I would not have been worried about it and would have just taken it as it comes.
“I’m not getting any younger but you go out there and do the basics and see what happens.
“We will wait and see if I am here again.
“I was not planning to and I was just helping out today but the management are having a wee joke that they might want me for another couple of weeks.
“We will cross that bridge when we come to it.”
Last meeting
League leaders East Fife made the trip to Stair Park looking to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat at Bayview Stadium in November.
The hosts started promisingly, with Scott Robertson having three efforts blocked before Robbie Foster’s shot was also kept out. Foster also lifted a shot over the bar but East Fife found two quickfire goals to change the momentum of the game.
Jack Healy’s shot from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection and looped over Sam Kane.
The second saw an apparent handball before the ball was worked to Alan Trouten to roll it home.
Matty Grant, who scored at Methil earlier in the season, came close with a looping ball to the back post but Stranraer could not find a way back into the contest.
Stranraer: Kane, Cummins, Ross, Ecrepont (Brindley 46), Robertson, Gallagher, Russell, A Trialist (McIntosh 64), Grant, Guthrie (Lang 46 (Edgar 59)), Foster.
Not used: Reid, McKnight and Lane.
East Fife: McFarlane, Murdoch, Easton, Norey (Higginbotham 57), Munro, Millar, McManus, Healy (Laaref 72), Shepherd (Jones 72), Trouten, Peggie.
Not used: Briggs, Slattery, Docherty, Blake and Fleming.
Last five meetings
- Stranraer 0 East Fife 2 (Healy and Trouten) at Stair Park on January 18, 2025
- East Fife 1 Stranraer 2 (Munro; Guthrie and Grant) at Bayview Stadium on November 9, 2024
- Stranraer 2 East Fife 1 (Russell x2; Trouten) at Stair Park on September 14, 2024
- East Fife 2 Stranraer 1 (Lyon and Healy; Grant) at Bayview Stadium on March 23, 2024
- Stranraer 0 East Fife 1 (Austin) at Stair Park on January 27, 2024
Last five games
Stranraer
- DRAW v Peterhead (H): 0-0
- LOSS v Forfar Athletic (H): 1-2 (Edgar)
- WIN v Edinburgh City (A): 0-1 (Ross)
- WIN v Stirling Albion (H): 3-0 (McKnight, Dunlop and Foster)
- WIN v Elgin City (H): 1-0 (Grant)
East Fife
- WIN v Clyde (A): 1-2 (Jones and Trouten)
- LOSS v Stirling Albion (A): 1-0
- DRAW v Peterhead (H): 0-0
- DRAW v Bonnyrigg Rose (H): 1-1 (Trouten (Pen))
- WIN v Spartans (A): 0-1 (Trouten (Pen))
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Peterhead: Kane, Ross, Docherty, Ecrepont, Reid, Robertson (Hawkshaw 80), Dunlop, Quigg (Foster 83), McKnight, Grant (Guthrie 80), Edgar (Lang 77).
Not used: Grindlay.
East Fife
Lineup v Clyde: McFarlane, Murdoch, Newton, Munro, Bah, Millar, McManus (Norey 80), McKenna, Trouten, Peggie (Healy 89), Jones (Shepherd 80).
Not used: Nicol, Laaref, Higginbotham and Fleming.
Five facts
1. Stranraer won at Bayview Stadium earlier in the season but they have not avoided defeat in both meetings there since 2017/18. On that occasion, a 1-1 draw (Ryan Wallace scored for Stranraer) was followed up by a 3-2 win (Scott Agnew found the net alongside a Grant Anderson double).
2. A popular figure over his two spells at Stranraer, Armand Oné turns 42 on Saturday. The striker originally joined the Blues after leaving Gateshead in January 2010. A spell at Alloa Athletic followed before Oné, who also played for Partick Thistle, Cowdenbeath, Livingston and Raith Rovers, returned to Stair Park. His final goal for the club would come in a 2-2 draw at Brechin City on April 23, 2013, with Craig Malcolm also on the scoresheet. The visiting team was: Mitchell, Kinnaird, Staunton, McKeown, Dunlop, Aitken, Gallagher, Winter (Gribben 66), Malcolm, Love (Campbell 89), Oné (Moore 69). Not used: Wood and Cadwell.
3. The goalless draw at Stair Park against Peterhead was the third goalless home draw this campaign. The Blues have not had a goalless away draw this season, with the last coming on a trip to Spartans in April last year.
4. Goalkeeper Stephen Grindlay played the majority of his club football for Dumbarton. His final appearance for the Sons came at Stair Park! That saw Stranraer come from two goals down to win 3-2. Jordan Kirkpatrick and Mark Gilhaney had the visitors two goals up at the break but a Frank McKeown double and a spectacular winner from Sean Winter proved decisive.
5. Alan Trouten is East Fife’s top scorer this campaign with 24 goals. That impressive figure includes a hat-trick against Bonnyrigg Rose in October last year. Mark Russell and Ryan Edgar have both scored doubles this term but the last Stranraer player going home with a match ball was Scott Agnew at Albion Rovers in a 4-0 win on September 16, 2017. Paul Woods scored the other goal for the Blues.
Admission
Admission at Bayview is priced as follows:
- Adults – £18
- Concessions – £14
- Under 16s – £5
- Parent and Child – £21
- Parent and Two Children – £24
Proof of age may be requested for concessions and under 16s.
There are no cash turnstiles at Bayview and supporters are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets online.
Online sales are available right up until kick off. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone by calling 01333 426323 or directly from the club office for those unable to purchase online.
Parent and child tickets must be purchased directly from the club office.
Coverage
We’ll have live matchday updates on X (formerly Twitter) for those not heading to Methil this weekend, and the manager’s interview will be available on YouTube following the game.
Supporters outside the UK and Ireland can also watch live via East Fife TV with a monthly or annual subscription. There is no live stream option for viewers within the UK or Ireland.
Our usual highlights will be available via YouTube on Sunday, with commentary from Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin.
Club 1870 subscribers can catch the goals after 10pm on Saturday night, along with full match footage later on Sunday.
Photos: Bill McCandlish
