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  • Post published:29 August 2025

A first three points of the league season are not too far away, according to summer signing Evan Dunne.

Stranraer have picked up three victories over 90 minutes in cup competitions this term, with a further triumph coming from a penalty shootout.

However, points have been harder to come by in League Two, with last weekend’s draw with Clyde finally getting them off the mark.

Now, electrician Dunne is hoping that could spark them into life.

He said: “We were annoyed we did not get the three points against East Kilbride the week before.

“You saw a good performance and on another day we nick a point or take all three from that game.

“I think going into tomorrow that’s the aim: try to get our first three points and keep building.

Stranraer were unfortunate to lose at East Kilbride

“That’s been the message in the camp.

“There is progress there and we can see it and feel it within ourselves, so it is just about keeping it going.”

Dunne, alongside Jordan Stuart and Scot Rough, made the move from Beith Juniors in the West of Scotland Football League to Stranraer in League Two during the summer.

The 22-year-old has found himself a regular in Chris Aitken’s matchday squads, making nine appearances in the opening few months, and will be looking to be involved at Stirling Albion.

He said: “I have enjoyed the step up.

“It is a step up and you do notice it physically, mentally, everything.

“It is that wee bit sharper and that is what you are going to get when you go up the levels.

“It is about how quickly you can adapt and progress and get up to speed with things.

“I feel that I have done that alright but it still early days.

Dunne made the move from Beith Juniors this summer

“There are a lot of improvements and a lot of learning to go but you just take it one training session and game at a time.”

In addition to Stuart, Rough and Dunne from Beith Juniors, the management team were busy bringing in a further 11 new faces over the summer, including bringing back Josh Lane and Lewis Reid.

New faces on the pitch and new faces in the dugout has meant the Blues have had a period of adjusting to change.

But Dunne was confident it was heading in the right direction.

He said: “It always does take a wee bit of time to gel together, especially when you have got a large overhaul as well and they have not played together before.

“It is going to take a wee bit of time to gel but I think all the boys being quite close together helps that.

“Obviously, you travel with them quite a lot and everybody is quite close in that respect.

“I think you have seen that over the last few games with performances and we are starting to pick up points.”

Last meeting

Stranraer let a 1-0 half time lead slip on their last visit to Forthbank Stadium.

Max Guthrie and Elliot Dunlop had come close for the Blues before Lewis Reid’s header was turned onto the post by Derek Gaston.

Finally, the deadlock was broken through a fine solo goal from Dunlop, who picked the ball up in his own half and burst forward before firing home from outside the box.

However, Stranraer’s good work was undone when Sam Kane failed to gather a free-kick and Ross McGeachie’s effort spun in. Ryan Shanley then took advantage of a Reid stumble to turn the game on its head.

Finally, Shanley wrapped up the three points when a poor clearance was seized upon and the striker had the easiest of tap-ins.

Stirling Albion: Gaston, McGeachie, Grant, Crane, McNab (Carrick 46), Carse (Kerr 59), Knox, Graham, Waugh, Constable, Shanley.
Not used: Cringean, Weir, Deveney, Howe, McKinstray, Wright and Smith.

Stranraer: Kane, Robertson, Ross, Docherty (Quigg 88), Ecrepont, Reid, Dunlop, Russell, Hawkshaw (McKnight 21), Guthrie, Edgar (Lang 64).
Not used: Brindley, Grant and Lane.

Last five meetings

  • Stirling Albion 3 Stranraer 1 (McGeachie and Shanley x2; Dunlop) at Forthbank Stadium on April 12, 2025
  • Stranraer 3 Stirling Albion 0 (McKnight, Dunlop and Foster) at Stair Park on February 22, 2025
  • Stirling Albion 1 Stranraer 1 (Kerr; Russell) at Forthbank Stadium on December 21, 2024
  • Stranraer 0 Stirling Albion 2 (Sula and Brown) at Stair Park on September 28, 2024
  • Stirling Albion 2 Stranraer 2 (Stirling Albion win 4-2 on penalties) (McKinley and Roy; Edgar and Lang) at Forthbank Stadium on July 23, 2024

Last five games

Stranraer secured a comprehensive win over Rangers’ youngsters in midweek

Stranraer

  • WIN v Rangers B (H): 4-1 (Sharp, Stuart, O’Donnell (Pen) and Rough)
  • DRAW v Clyde (H): 1-1 (O’Donnell)
  • LOSS v East Kilbride (A): 3-1 (Turay)
  • WIN v Alloa Athletic (H): 2-1 (Dolan and Turay)
  • LOSS v Edinburgh City (H): 1-2 (Russell (Pen))

Stirling Albion

  • WIN v Hibernian B (H): 3-1 (Harkness, Shanley and McLean)
  • LOSS v East Kilbride (H): 2-3 (McLean and Own Goal)
  • LOSS v Forfar Athletic (A): 4-2 (Harkness and McLean)
  • LOSS v Dundee United B (H): 0-3
  • DRAW v Annan Athletic (H): 0-0

Last time out

Stranraer

Lineup v Rangers B: Lane, Coll, Dunne, Rough, Docherty, McKnight (O’Donnell 73), Dolan (Turay 46), Hunter, Stuart (Quigg 61), Sharp (Lang 81), Edgar (McManus 61).
Not used: Ecrepont, Russell and Henderson.

Stirling Albion

Lineup v Hibernian B: Duffy, Crane, Hamilton, Murdoch (Banner 61), Cannon, Ewen (K Thomson 46), Carse, Harkness (McLean 46), C Thomson, Cunningham, Shanley (McGeachie 61).
Not used: Featherstone, Knox, McNab, Scott and Smith.

Ins and outs

Stirling brought in experienced former Stranraer defender Lee Hamilton this summer

Stranraer

Ins: Beejay Coll (St Cadoc’s), James Dolan (Unattached), Evan Dunne (Beith Juniors), Ewan Henderson (Whitletts Victoria), Ronan Hughes (St Cadoc’s), Lewis Hunter (The Spartans), Josh Lane (Hamilton Academicals, loan), Daniel McManus (St Cadoc’s), Corey O’Donnell (Stenhousemuir), Lewis Reid (Queen’s Park, loan made permanent), Scot Rough (Beith Juniors), Tommy Sharp (Livingston), Jordan Stuart (Beith Juniors) and Sallu Turray (Partick Thistle).

Outs: Tomas Brindley (Cumnock Juniors), Adam Cummins (Irvine Meadow), Grant Gallagher (Cumnock Juniors), Matty Grant (Johnstone Burgh), Dean Hawkshaw (Hurlford United), Craig Ross (Airdrieonians), Max Guthrie (Ayr United, end of loan), Sam Kane (Queen’s Park, end of loan), Josh Lane (Hamilton Academical, end of loan) and Scott Robertson (retired).

Stirling Albion

Ins: Kyle Banner (Stenhousemuir), Aidan Cannon (Celtic), Ross Cunningham (Kelty Hearts), Robert Duffy (Alloa Athletic), Lee Hamilton (Clyde), Jack Harkness (Rangers, loan made permanent), Russell McLean (Forfar Athletic), Stewart Murdoch (East Fife) and Kane Thomson (Alloa Athletic).

Outs: Dale Carrick (Stenhousemuir), Ross Davidson (Beith Juniors), Euan Deveney (Annan Athletic), James Graham (Kelty Hearts), Greg Harrower (Kilsyth Rangers), Cameron McKinley (Tranent), Lewis Milne (St Andrews United), Ally Roy (Dumbarton), Erik Sula (East Kilbride), Harry Wright (Berwick Rangers, loan), Scott Constable (Dundee United, end of loan), Leyton Grant (Rangers, end of loan), Ricky Waugh (Queen’s Park, end of loan) and Josh Kerr.

Five facts

Happy birthday to former Blues midfielder Scott McLean

1. There have only been three goalless draws between Stranraer and Stirling Albion in more than 115 meetings between the two clubs. All three took place at Stair Park.

2. Former Stranraer midfielder Scott McLean will celebrate his 28th birthday on Saturday. Starting his career at Kilmarnock, he would go on to play for Albion Rovers, Queen’s Park and Annan Athletic before moving south of the border. Spells at Spennymoor Town and Guiseley would follow before joining the Blues in 2022. He made 20 appearances in a Stranraer shirt and scored on his debut against Queen’s Park. He now plays for Troon alongside former Blues in Dale Burgess, Sam McCloskey, Jack Sherrie, Luke Watt, Dean Fulton and former trialist Leyton Dunlop.

3. Josh Lane’s assist for Jordan Stuart’s goal in the victory over Rangers B was the first time a goalkeeper had recorded an assist for Stranraer since Sam Kane set up Deryn Lang to score against East Fife last season.

4. Stirling Albion are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Stranraer at Forthbank Stadium. Fittingly, the last man to score the winner for Stranraer at the ground was Andy Stirling.

5. Stranraer’s midweek win over Rangers was the first time the Stair Park side have scored at least four goals with four different scorers since another midweek contest. Matty Grant, Dylan Forrest, Ben Armour and Deryn Lang all added to a Ryan Blair own goal in a 5-0 win over Dumbarton on March 5, 2024.

Admission

See the Stirling Albion website for details of admission prices at Forthbank and how to buy your ticket.

Merchandise

Order our brand new Adidas 2025/26 shirts

You can now purchase all three of our brand new Adidas shirts online, plus training tops and a selection of last season’s stock at reduced prices.

Order yours today and have it shipped to your home, or collect from Stair Park on matchdays.

Coverage

Catch all the action across our social media platforms

If you’re further afield, follow our live matchday updates on X (formerly Twitter).

The manager’s post-match reaction will be available on YouTube on Saturday evening.

Club 1870 subscribers will get a first look at the goals by Sunday morning, along with full match footage.

Due to volunteer commitments, our extended YouTube highlights will be available later on Sunday this week, with Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin on commentary.

Photos: Bill McCandlish, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)