Loan signing Joe McGrath is determined to enjoy that winning feeling after swapping Easter Road for Stair Park.
The defender made his Stranraer debut against Stirling Albion before helping keep a clean sheet against Annan Athletic last weekend.
He is combining lining up for the Blues with continuing to play for Hibernian’s under-19s side.
McGrath was part of the Easter Road team enjoying a 3-1 win over Rangers in the Under-19s League Cup in midweek and is hoping to enjoy that winning feeling in a Stranraer shirt this weekend.
He highlighted the difference between age group and first team football.
He said: “Every game, I’m not saying that the games at under-19s don’t matter, the gaffer’s job is technically on the line when you are playing so you want to do your best.
“You want to do the best for yourself and you have obviously got the fans who pay their money to come and watch you.
“You want to win games in front of them and let them enjoy themselves.
“It is also really enjoyable just looking forward to 3pm on a Saturday where you can go and make a difference.
“We go and get three points and you are looking up the league.
“You have got loads and loads of factors which make it miles better in first team football.
“You are playing against men and it toughens you up.
“It is all about winning, it is all about getting three points and getting up the table.”
The teenager was named on the bench for Hibs’ contest away to Falkirk last month before making the temporary move to Stranraer.
McGrath, who turns 19 next month, described it as “an absolute no brainer” getting out and experiencing first team football.
He did his research before making the switch and said: “I checked the age of some of the players in the team.
“I had a look at the manager, a few interviews, the form, their position in the table – checking all that, it was all positive.”
Next up for Stranraer is a trip to the Dumbarton Football Stadium.
The Sons are struggling at the wrong end of League Two and former Stranraer favourite Frank McKeown will be aiming for three points to guide them a step closer to safety.
Saturday’s opponents picked up a point in the reverse fixture at Stair Park and McGrath was expecting another tough encounter.
He said: “They will be fighting for their lives trying to get any points that they can pick up.
“They are at home as well, so that will give them a bit of a boost.
“I think we will definitely be looking to go there, get three points, keep this unbeaten streak going and just try to build up some momentum.”
Last meeting
A late leveller ensured the points were shared when Stranraer last tackled Dumbarton.
It was the home side who had the first real chance of the game but Shay Kelly did superbly to deny Mark Russell at close range. Russell would not be denied though and squeezed a low shot under the goalkeeper minutes later.
Just before half time, the visitors were almost level but Josh Lane did brilliantly to keep out Leighton McIntosh.
Dumbarton had more chances after the break but it took until stoppage time to find an equaliser. Stranraer could only clear a corner to the edge of the box and Kai Kirkpatrick’s first time effort found the bottom corner.
Stranraer: Lane, F Ecrepont, Reid, Rough, Dunne, Dolan (Docherty 82), Russell, Plank (Coll 73), McManus, Gillies, Hunter (Quigg 62).
Not used: McKnight, Hughes, Sharp and Henderson.
Dumbarton: Kelly, Webster, Livingstone, Walker, Kirkpatrick, Blair, Wallace (Neill 80), Docherty, Johnston (Tomlinson 52), Roy (Clark 87), McIntosh.
Not used: Lynas, Marshall, McEvoy, Gilfedder, Honeyman and O Ecrepont.
Last five meetings
- Stranraer 1 Dumbarton 1 (Russell; Kirkpatrick) at Stair Park on December 20, 2025
- Dumbarton 1 Stranraer 2 (Durnan; Russell and Dolan) at Dumbarton Football Stadium on September 25, 2025
- Stranraer 0 Dumbarton 0 at Stair Park on April 20, 2024
- Stranraer 5 Dumbarton 0 (Own goal, Grant, Forrest, Armour and Lang) at Stair Park on March 5, 2024
- Dumbarton 2 Stranraer 1 (Ruth and Wallace; Ross) at Dumbarton Football Stadium on February 24, 2024
Last five games
Stranraer
- DRAW v Annan Athletic (H): 0-0
- DRAW v Stirling Albion (A): 1-1 (Lang)
- WIN v East Kilbride (A): 0-2 (Dolan and Cleland)
- WIN v Queen’s Park (H): 1-1 (Stranraer win 6-5 on penalties) (Plank)
- LOSS v Ayr United (A): 4-1 (Hughes)
Dumbarton
- LOSS v Annan Athletic (A): 1-0
- LOSS v Forfar Athletic (A): 2-0
- LOSS v Edinburgh City (H): 1-2 (McIntosh)
- DRAW v Elgin City (H): 2-2 (Todd and McIntosh)
- LOSS v Spartans (A): 2-0
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Annan Athletic: Currie, Reid, McGrath, Dunne, Coll, Dolan (McManus 67), Quigg (Hughes 78), Plank, Gillies (McKnight 39), Lang, Cleland (O’Donnell 67).
Not used: Ecrepont, Docherty, Hunter and Tas.
Dumbarton
Lineup v Annan Athletic: Long, Omar, Durnan, Blair (Wallace 87), Doyle, Webster, Tomlinson (Honeyman 87), Brown (Livingstone 73), Kirkpatrick, Roy (Duncan 77), McIntosh.
Not used: Joseph, Neill, Walker, Gilfedder and Kelly.
Five facts
- No current member of the Stranraer squad has played 100 games or more for the club – but three (Max Currie, Finn Ecrepont and Deryn Lang) are closing in on the milestone having played more than 90 times.
- Dumbarton’s manager and assistant manager played more than 230 games for Stranraer. Frank McKeown played 192 times while Mark Docherty made 44 appearances. Meanwhile, goalkeeping coach Eric Phillips was also an unused substitute!
- James Dolan’s goal gave Stranraer victory away to Dumbarton in the last meeting. However, you need to go back to the 2007/08 season for the last time the Blues enjoyed back-to-back victories away to Dumbarton in the same season. Mark Stewart and Danny Mitchell scored in a 2-0 win in the December before Gregory Tade scored in the second game in March.
- Recent Dumbarton signing Aaron Brown also had a spell at Stranraer. He joined the Blues at the beginning of 2023 and had a debut to remember. Stranraer were 3-1 winners at East Fife, with Brown joining Josh Walker and James Hilton on the scoresheet. The visiting team that day was: O’Connor, Girvan, Ross, Watt, McIntosh, Brady (Eze 89), Hilton, Walker (Gallagher 80), Forrest, Brown, Duffy (Malcolm 78). Not used: Robertson, Ellis and Connelly.
- Over 90 minutes, Stranraer have drawn 14 times this season. That is the most since 2001/02 when the Blues drew on 17 occasions.
Admission
Supporters can purchase tickets via the home club’s ticketing platform.
Podcast
Check out the latest edition of Look Blues Talking for a review of the Blues’ draw at home to Annan Athletic and a look ahead to this weekend’s trip to Dumbarton.
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 on Saturday night, along with full match footage.
Extended highlights will be available via YouTube on Sunday, with Laurence Nelson joined by Martin McLelland on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images), MadMac Photography
