Suspended Jordan Stuart has apologised after being sent off at Edinburgh City last weekend.
The midfielder sat out the trip to Dumbarton on Tuesday night and will also miss this weekend’s visit of East Kilbride.
Stuart only returned to the squad at Meadowbank Stadium after missing all of February through injury.
Unfortunately, his return lasted just 14 minutes before referee Peter Stuart showed him a straight red card.
The Stranraer man said: “First of all, I would like to apologise to everybody.
“It was absolutely out of order.
“I spoke to the gaffer and apologised straight away.
“You could see it was frustration but it should not have happened, I take full responsibility and it will not happen again.
“As soon as it happened, I regretted it.”
Stuart had come off during Stranraer’s Scottish Cup clash with Queen’s Park in January.
Ankle ligament damage kept him out of action for longer than he hoped and he was now desperate to get back and help the team in its play-off challenge.
A top-four finish would cap a memorable campaign for Stuart, who joined Stranraer from Beith Juniors alongside Evan Dunne and Scot Rough.
He has made 28 appearances for his new club since the move from the West of Scotland Football League to SPFL League Two.
The 30-year-old said: “I have loved it.
“I would say it is the most I have enjoyed football.
“Obviously, making the step up you are nervous you are not going to be good enough but I would like to think I have done my bit – barring the last two months.
“I have absolutely loved it and would not have a bad thing to say about the club.
“I had never even been linked with anybody before and I just thought I was going to be in the Juniors for the rest of my days.
“I got the opportunity to come up and have been absolutely buzzing.”
Saturday marks meeting number five of the season with East Kilbride.
Victories have been shared at two apiece and the K-Park side sit top of the table as the season approaches its finale.
In contrast, Stranraer have suffered a hat-trick of defeats.
Stuart was confident that poor run would soon come to an end soon and said: “I have got full faith in the boys to get a result.
“We are going through a wee sticky patch but will come in and work hard in training.
“Hopefully, we can get a result.”
Last meeting
Two quickfire goals saw Stranraer pick up three points at East Kilbride in January.
Before the visitors found a way through, East Kilbride had a couple of good chances. Bobby McLuckie was not far away with a fine curling drive before former Stranraer man Cameron Elliott saw a shot blocked on the line by Matty Gillies.
The deadlock would be broken just after the half hour when James Dolan picked up a loose ball and strode forward unchallenged before sliding a shot beyond goalkeeper Craig Hepburn.
The travelling fans had barely stopped celebrating when they were cheering goal number two. Dolan was again involved, winning possession in midfield. Aaron Quigg then played it to Evan Dunne, whose cross was bundled home by former East Kilbride man Dean Cleland.
Both teams had further chances but neither could find a way to change the scoreline.
East Kilbride: Hepburn, S Young (Foster 72), Hamilton (Fagan 36), Breen, McGregor, Leitch (Spence 46), McLuckie, Robertson, Williamson (C Young 46), Balde, Elliott.
Not used: Dobbie and Morrison.
Stranraer: Currie, Reid, Rough, Dunne, Coll (Ecrepont 79), Dolan (Hughes 84), Quigg, Plank (Hunter 76), Gillies, Lang (Russell 53), Cleland (O’Donnell 84).
Not used: Docherty, McKnight and Henderson.
Last five meetings
- East Kilbride 0 Stranraer 2 (Dolan and Cleland) at K-Park Stadium on January 24, 2026
- East Kilbride 1 Stranraer 4 (Breen; Russell (Pen), Lang, McManus and Hunter) at K-Park Stadium on December 9, 2025
- Stranraer 1 East Kilbride 3 (Russell (Pen); J Robertson x2 and Elliott) at Stair Park on November 15, 2025
- East Kilbride 3 Stranraer 1 (J Robertson (Pen), Ferguson and Balde; Turay) at K-Park Stadium on August 16, 2025
- Stranraer 3 East Kilbride 1 (Gallagher, Ross and Gilmartin; Samson) at Stair Park on May 18, 2024
Last five games
Stranraer
- LOSS v Dumbarton (A): 2-0
- LOSS v Edinburgh City (A): 4-1 (McGrath)
- LOSS v Elgin City (H): 1-2 (Cleland)
- WIN v Spartans (H): 2-1 (Cleland and Quigg)
- DRAW v Annan Athletic (H): 0-0
East Kilbride
- WIN v Elgin City (H): 3-0 (K Robertson x2 and Fagan)
- WIN v Clyde (A): 1-3 (Balde, McLuckie and C Young)
- WIN v Dumbarton (H): 3-1 (McLuckie, Balde and J Robertson)
- WIN v Elgin City (A): 1-6 (Fagan, J Robertson x2 (Pen x1), C Young, McLuckie and Leitch)
- WIN v Annan Athletic (A): 2-4 (C Young x2, J Robertson and Balde)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Dumbarton: Currie, Ecrepont, Reid, McGrath, Docherty (McKnight 76), Hughes (Dolan 61), Gillies (Plank 61), Quigg (Hunter 76), McManus, Cleland, Lang (Turay 68).
Not used: Coll, O’Donnell and Tas.
East Kilbride
Lineup v Elgin City: Hepburn, S Young, Kyle, Fagan, Breen (McGregor 57), McLuckie, J Robertson (Foster 64), K Robertson (Leitch 57), Spence, Balde (Dobbie 73), C Young.
Not used: Hamilton, Strachan, Mylchreest and Morrison.
Five facts
- Stranraer have not lost four games in a row since the tail end of last season when they went down 1-0 to Forfar Athletic, 2-1 to Clyde and then Spartans, and 3-1 to Stirling Albion.
- The Blues have played 42 times this season – avoiding defeat in 69% of games. That is up 19% on last season and the highest figure since the 2020/21 campaign.
- Stranraer and East Kilbride have now met on eight occasions. Only two players have lined up for both sides in meetings between the two clubs. Beejay Coll has played for Stranraer in three of the contests this season and also featured in the first-ever meeting back in 2016 when he was in an East Kilbride strip. On the opposite side that day was Craig Malcolm, who was in the East Kilbride line-up the next time the two sides met.
- East Kilbride are currently on a seven-game winning streak in League Two. That is the longest winning run in the division since 2023/24 when Stenhousemuir won 12 games in a row.
- The last time Stranraer took to the pitch on March 14 was in 2015 when they lost 1-0 at Forfar Athletic. Gavin Swankie scored the only goal of the game. The visiting team was: Mitchell, Pettigrew, Longridge, Robertson, McKeown, Bell, Aitken (Gallagher 72), Gibson, Winter, Malcolm (Longworth 72), McShane (Stoney 64). Not used: Russell, Rumsby, Stirling and Tobin.
Admission
Admission at the LIME Stadium 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
We’re stocked with all three 2025/26 kits, exclusive Adidas teamwear, hats, scarves, umbrellas, warm layers, pin badges, key rings and much more.
Cash and card payments are accepted.
You can also purchase a range of merchandise online.
Podcast
In the latest episode of club podcast Look Blues Talking, we look back on away defeats to Edinburgh City and Dumbarton and ahead to this weekend’s meeting with the league leaders.
Coverage
If you can’t make it to the LIME Stadium, you can 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 the next day.
Extended highlights will be available via YouTube on Sunday, with Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin calling the action.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)
