Ryan Edgar believes Stranraer can spring a surprise and pick up another cup shock.
The Blues travel to Somerset Park on Tuesday night aiming to knock Ayr United out of the KDM Evolution Trophy.
The Championship side will start as favourites and with home advantage but Chris Aitken’s men have already enjoyed impressive results in cup competitions this term.
Edgar, who will miss out through injury, said: “I don’t see why we cannot get a result.
“Obviously, throughout the season, especially in the cup at the start of the season, you have seen the results against teams from leagues above us.
“We have got nothing to lose here – so why not go out and try to play our best game?
“It has paid off previously and I don’t see why the team cannot go and get some more good results.
“Obviously, as a Stranraer guy myself, I know how much the game means to the fans.”
The Blues have served up a number of memorable cup showings this campaign.
As well as beating Ross County on penalties, they have enjoyed success against Queen of the South and away to East Kilbride.
Edgar missed the trip to K Park and has not pulled on a Stranraer shirt since the end of November when his side knocked Clydebank out of the Scottish Cup.
The striker scored the winner in extra time on that occasion before injury got too much.
The injury came at a bad time for Edgar, who had scored three goals in six appearances.
He said: “Personally, I do feel like I was getting into a wee bit better form than how I started the season.
“The team seemed to be getting into a really good bit of form too.
“Obviously, they are still going strong and it is good to watch but you missing being part of that.”
He has already had an MRI scan, which came back with a few issues, including a sports hernia and wear and tear on his left hip.
The frontman acknowledged the injury had got to the extent where something had to be done having previously played through the pain barrier.
He said: “We started rehab about a week ago.
“Hopefully, as long as all goes well, it will be six to eight weeks and I am hoping to be fighting fit.
“If that does not go to plan, we will look at other options, whether that is surgery or other forms of rehab.
“I am hoping it is six to eight weeks.”
Last meeting
Stranraer took an early lead after just 56 seconds on their last visit to Somerset Park, when Darryl Duffy blasted home after good link up play involving Tom Orr and Joao Victoria.
Jack Baird had a header off the crossbar for the hosts, before Stranraer had a chance to double their lead. Ruari Paton was brought down in the box but Duffy’s penalty clipped the crossbar.
Ayr’s leveller came in the second half when Luke McCowan broke the offside trap.
Both sides had chances to win it but the tie was settled on penalties. James Hilton, Duffy, Adam Cummins, Joao Victoria and Paton scored the first five for the Blues before Orr was off target.
Ayr United: Sinisalo, Houston, Roscoe-Byrne, Hewitt (Kerr 82), Baird, Miller, McCowan, Chalmers, Moffat, Anderson, Zanatta (McKenzie 62).
Not used: Murdoch, Smith and Hare-Reid.
Stranraer: Fleming, Robertson, Cummins, Sonkur, McIntyre, Hilton, Gallagher, Paton, Duffy, Victoria, Orr.
Not used: Hamill, Adair, Wilde, Mitchell and Walker.
Last five meetings
- Ayr United 1 Stranraer 1 (McCowan; Duffy) (Ayr United win 6-5 on penalties) at Somerset Park on November 14, 2020
- Ayr United 2 Stranraer 2 (Moffat and Kelly; Cummins x2) (Stranraer win 6-5 on penalties) at Somerset Park on July 27, 2019
- Ayr United 1 Stranraer 2 (Adams; Anderson and Agnew (Pen)) at Somerset Park on April 14, 2018
- Stranraer 1 Ayr United 5 (Turner; Shankland x2, Moffat and Forrest x2) at Stair Park on January 2, 2018
- Ayr United 2 Stranraer 0 (Moffat and Shankland) at Somerset Park on October 28, 2017
Last five games
Stranraer
- DRAW v Forfar Athletic (A): 2-2 (Ecrepont and Lang)
- DRAW v Edinburgh City (H): 1-1 (Lang)
- 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)
Ayr United
- DRAW v Airdrieonians (H): 1-1 (Murphy (Pen))
- DRAW v Greenock Morton (A): 1-1 (Dowds)
- WIN v Dunfermline Athletic (A): 2-3 (McKenzie, Dowds and King)
- LOSS v St Johnstone (H): 2-4 (McKenzie and Murphy)
- WIN v Peterhead (H): 2-1 (Dowds and McAllister)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Forfar Athletic: Lane, Ecrepont (Coll 89), Reid, Rough, Dunne, Quigg (Hunter 82), Plank (Hughes 89), McManus, Gillies, Lang (Russell 82), Cleland (Dolan 76).
Not used: Docherty, Stuart, McKnight and Henderson.
Ayr United
Lineup v Airdrieonians: Russell, Dick, Holt, King, Bannigan (Bonnar 62), Dempsey, Murphy (Main 68), Rus, McMann, Dowds, McKenzie.
Not used: Want, Thomas, Simpson, Brown and Mitchell.
Five facts
- Stranraer have drawn their last four matches. They have not drawn five games in a row, over 90 minutes, since 2005. The run began with a 1-1 draw away to Queen of the South (Allan Jenkins scored), before a 1-1 draw at home to Brechin City (David Hamilton), 1-1 at St Johnstone (Hamilton), a goalless draw with Dundee and, finally, a 1-1 draw with Airdrieonians (Lee Sharp).
- Deryn Lang’s goal at Station Park took him to 22 goals in a Stranraer shirt. It also puts him level with James Hilton. His first came on his debut away to Bonnyrigg Rose when the Blues rescued a point in August 2023. The visiting team was: M McDonald, Robertson, Williamson (Lang 58), Girvan, McIntosh, Dolan, Forrest, Fleming, Armour, Orr (Hughes 89), Walker (O McDonald 71). Not used: O’Connor.
- The frontman’s strike also takes him to 11 for Stranraer this season. The last person to better that was Scott Agnew, who scored 13 during the 2017/18 season.
- Stranraer manager Chris Aitken and Ayr United boss Scott Brown have not faced each other as managers. However, they did face each other as players in January 2008. Then, Celtic were 3-0 winners against Stirling Albion thanks to goals from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Scott McDonald and Shunsuke Nakamura. Aitken was not the only one with a Stranraer connection in the Stirling team, which also featured Stewart Devine and David McKenna.
- Stranraer have found the net in their last 11 encounters. The last time Stranraer failed to score was in a goalless draw away to Clyde.
Admission
All supporters must buy their ticket online in advance via the home club’s ticketing platform.
Reduced admission prices have been agreed by the clubs:
- Adult – £12
- Concession (65+, disabled or student) – £6
- Juvenile (13 to 17 year old) – £6
- Child (under 13) – £3
Blues supporters will be seated in Somerset Park’s West Stand.
Podcast
Check out the latest edition of Look Blues Talking for a look back at last weekend’s home meeting with Edinburgh City, and all the talking points ahead of the trips to Station Park and Somerset Park.
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 late on Tuesday evening.
Club 1870 subscribers get a first look at the goals on Wednesday morning, along with full match footage.
Extended highlights will be available via YouTube later on Wednesday, with Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, MadMac Photography, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)
