An impressive second quarter of the season means Stranraer sit in the promotion play-off places.
Now, Finn Ecrepont and the Blues are determined to build on that as the second half of the campaign gets under way against Edinburgh City on Saturday.
Both teams have enjoyed some impressive results this season – and hold one win apiece over 90 minutes – against each other this term.
The most recent meeting, in Edinburgh, went the way of the visitors.
Ecrepont was hopeful 2026 would continue in a similar manner to how 2025 finished for Stranraer.
He said: “It sort of feels at the moment that the last game against Edinburgh City was a bit of a turning point in the season.
“We are not daft and we know that even though we are sat 12 points ahead of them, we want to make that 15 come the end of Saturday.
“We have done really well up until now but nothing is finished yet.
“We are only at the halfway point of the season.
“We are about to go into a new quarter and we want to start the new quarter the way that we finished the last one and carry on winning games.”
Of course, Ecrepont has fond memories of the last time Stranraer tackled Edinburgh City.
His goals either side of a Daniel McManus effort helped the visitors to Meadowbank Stadium to an important win.
He said: “It was a really good day for myself and the team.
“Hopefully, we can replicate something similar this weekend.
“It was one of my friend’s stag do’s and we went down to Newcastle; it made for a good weekend, that is for sure.
“The other boys were just as excited as me.
“Some of them went down earlier in the day and were looking at their phones.
“They saw the first goal and then the second coming in and I think they thought ‘surely not!’.
Last meeting
Two goals relatively early in the contest at Meadowbank Stadium helped set Stranraer up for a victory on the road in October.
Fine hold up play by Ryan Edgar allowed Finn Ecrepont to run forward unnoticed and he took a touch in the box before firing home with his right foot.
The second goal came from Daniel McManus, who reacted quickest when the ball broke in his direction.
The hosts pushed forward to try to get back into the game and Robbie Mahon and Jason Jarvis both called Josh Lane into action. They pulled one back when Innes Lawson turned in the box and his shot had just enough power on it to creep over the line, despite Lane’s efforts.
The three points were wrapped up in the second half when Ecrepont fired home a sumptuous free-kick.
Edinburgh City: Weir, Mitchell, Lynch (Service 46), McArthur (Brodie 89), Jarvis, Lawson (Ferguson 73), Zaid, Myles (Duncan 62), Barrett, Stokes, Mahon.
Not used: Marinovic.
Stranraer: Lane, Ecrepont, Reid, Rough, Stuart (Gillies 36), Dolan, Quigg, McKnight, McManus, Turay (Lang 82), Edgar (Plank 64).
Not used: Coll, Sharp, Hunter, Russell and Henderson.
Last five meetings
- Edinburgh City 1 Stranraer 3 (Lawson; Ecrepont x2 and McManus) at Meadowbank Stadium on October 18, 2025
- Stranraer 1 Edinburgh City 2 (Russell (Pen); Duncan and Barrett) at Stair Park on August 9, 2025
- Edinburgh City 0 Stranraer 0 (Edinburgh City win 5-3 on penalties) at Meadowbank Stadium on July 19, 2025
- Stranraer 2 Edinburgh City 0 (Guthrie and Lang) at Stair Park on April 19, 2025
- Edinburgh City 0 Stranraer 1 (Ross) at Meadowbank Stadium on March 1, 2025
Last five games
Stranraer
- DRAW v Annan Athletic (A): 2-2 (Russell (Pen) and Lang)
- DRAW v Dumbarton (H): 1-1 (Russell)
- WIN v Elgin City (A): 1-2 (Plank and Rough)
- WIN v East Kilbride (A): 1-4 (Russell (Pen), Lang, McManus and Hunter)
- WIN v Stirling Albion (H): 3-2 (Lang x2 and Rough)
Edinburgh City
- LOSS v The Spartans (H): 1-3 (Lawson)
- WIN v Forfar Athletic (A): 2-3 (Duncan, Allen and Stokes)
- LOSS v Clyde (H): 1-4 (Allen)
- DRAW v Forfar Athletic (A): 1-1 (Forfar Athletic win 4-2 on penalties) (Mahon)
- WIN v Dumbarton (H): 4-3 (Mahon (Pen x2), Barrett and Lawson)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Annan Athletic: Lane, Ecrepont, Reid, Rough, Dunne (Docherty 76), Dolan (Hughes 86), Plank, McManus (Hunter 86), Gillies (Quigg 76), Russell (Stuart 65), Lang.
Not used: McKnight, Sharp and Henderson.
Edinburgh City
Lineup v The Spartans: Weir, Mitchell, Service, Lynch, McArthur (Myles 46), Lawson, Zaid, Allen, Barrett (Guthrie 74), Stokes, Mahon.
Not used: Brodie, Scally and Marinovic.
Five facts
- Former Stranraer frontman Max Guthrie joined Edinburgh City last year after a brief spell at Stenhousemuir. Guthrie made 31 appearances for Stranraer last season and scored five goals. His last goal came for Stranraer against today’s opposition in a 2-0 win – Deryn Lang scored the other goal – on April 19.
- Stranraer will be looking to begin the New Year with a win. The Blues have not managed that since 2021 when they defeated Annan Athletic 2-0 (Tom Orr and Ruari Paton scoring) on January 2.
- New Year’s Day marked the birthday of two former Stranraer defenders. Central defender Scott Rumsby initially joined the Blues on loan from Aberdeen in 2013. He then made the switch permanent and played 108 games, scoring twice (against Forfar Athletic and Albion Rovers). He turned 32 at the beginning of the year. The second defender also joined the club on loan. Antons Kurakins played 20 times in the second half of the 2010/11 campaign. He joined from Celtic and also played for Brechin City and Hamilton Academicals in Scotland. He has turned 36.
- Stranraer twice came from a goal down to get a point against Annan Athletic last time out. The last time they managed that was away to Clyde in December 2023 – 98 games ago.
- Stranraer have found the target in their last nine games. The last time they bettered that was in 2022 when the Blues scored in 12 consecutive games. The first game then was a 2-2 draw at Elgin City. Anton Brady and Craig Malcolm scored and the visiting team was: Scullion, Ellis, Girvan, Watt, Dunn, Brady, Woods, Forrest, Grant (Hilton 83), Malcolm (McLean 83), Walker. Not used: Robertson, Hawkshaw, Duffy and O’Connor.
Admission
Admission at Stair Park is ‘pay at the gate’ only. Season tickets are valid for Saturday’s game.
Away fans can enter the ground from the away turnstile opposite the main stand. This turnstile is cash only.
The following pricing applies:
- Adult – £15
- Concession (over 65) – £10
- Youth (5 to 16) – £5
- Under 5 – FREE
Merchandise
Start the year with our brand new Stranraer FC 2026 calendar (also available online via Shopify).
We’re stocked with all three Adidas kits, hats, scarves, umbrellas, warm layers, pin badges, key rings and some great bargains.
Cash and card payments are accepted and we open from 1.30pm.
You can also purchase a range of merchandise online.
Pavilion Bar
Pop into our popular Pavilion Bar outside the away turnstile from 1pm for a pre-match refreshment with fellow fans.
Home, away and neutral supporters are warmly welcomed, and the bar accepts both cash and card.
Or, stop off at the Stranraer FC Fitba’ Bar on North Strand Street in the town centre, which is also open to all.
Podcast
In this week’s bumper episode of Look Blues Talking, we rank our top 10 moments of 2025, review the draw at Annan and preview this weekend’s meeting with Edinburgh City.
Coverage
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 following the game.
Club 1870 subscribers get a first look at the goals from 10pm on Saturday night, along with full match footage.
Extended highlights will be available via YouTube on Sunday, with Brian Martin and Cameron Ritchie on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)
