The wait for three points goes on for Stranraer after Kane Hester’s stunning equaliser ensured the Blues would have to settle for a point.
Chris Aitken’s team came into the game looking to bounce back from defeat to Spartans last time out.
The manager made three changes with Sean Docherty suspended, Evan Dunne injured and Daniel McManus dropping to the bench.
That meant recalls for Scot Rough and Mark Russell while on-loan Hearts youngster Matthew Gillies was handed a debut and his Tynecastle team-mate Dominic Plank was named on the bench.
Stranraer started the game well and had the ball in the net on quarter of an hour.
Russell’s deflected shot fell kindly for Ryan Edgar, who kept his cool to shoot beyond Tom Ritchie.
The offside flag was already up but Stranraer quickly called the visiting number one into action again.
James Dolan did well down the right and swung in a cross for Russell, whose downwards header was pushed to safety by Ritchie.
Slowly but surely, the long-travelled visitors came more into the game and it took a fine save from Josh Lane – not for the last time – to keep them out.
Ali Spalding was under no real pressure in the middle of the park and strode into the box before getting a shot away.
The effort across goal looked destined for the bottom corner but Lane managed to turn it round the post.
Hester was then off target from the set piece as neither team found a breakthrough before the half time interval.
Fans would not have too long to wait for the first goal of the afternoon, though.
Beejay Coll’s strike from outside the box looped up in the air and Edgar was taken out by Jack Murray who was attempting to clear it.
Russell then fired home the resultant spot kick to put Stranraer in front for the first time in a league tie since the draw with Clyde on August 23.
Credit to Elgin, who showed their fighting spirit to put Aitken’s men under considerable pressure for the remaining 35 minutes.
Former Stranraer man Josh Walker saw an effort go inches the wrong side of the goal but he had a crucial role in the equaliser.
He won the corner and then provided the delivery for Hester to send a flicked finish looping over the head of Lane.
Pressure was on Stranraer to hold out now and Walker and Hester were both denied by the goalkeeper before the game entered stoppage time.
Lane had saved the best for last as he somehow touched a goalbound Murray header onto the crossbar.
In the end , it is another point on the board but Stranraer will be disappointed they failed to hold out for all three after taking the lead.
Stranraer: Lane, Coll (Lang 78), Reid, Rough, Gillies, Russell (McManus 85), Stuart (Hunter 67), Quigg, Dolan, O’Donnell (Ecrepont 78), Edgar (Plank 85).
Not used: McKnight, Sharp, Turay and Henderson.
Elgin City: Ritchie, Booth (Ross 82), Murray, Ewan, Cameron, Virtanen, Walker (Obasoto 85), MacIver, Spalding, Sargent (O’Connor 82), Hester.
Not used: Cooper, MacDonald and McHale.
Referee: George Calder
Attendance: 361
HT: 0-0
Photos: Bill McCandlish
