He will not be able to play a role in the remaining four games but Dominic Plank is hoping to be cheering on his team-mates during the playoffs.
The on-loan Hearts midfielder has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury.
He is due to undergo surgery this weekend but is hoping he could be on the sidelines if Stranraer achieve a top-four finish.
Plank, who became a firm favourite with the LIME Stadium faithful, missed last weekend’s draw with Dumbarton but spoke to the club this week about the injury and missing the run-in.
He said: “I was just training with Hearts, did some stepovers, stepped inside and just planted my leg and it has just gone.
“I just felt it proper go so that was not nice.
“It is the first time I have felt it like ‘pop’, which is never a good sign, and then you are almost praying that it is nothing too bad but I knew just from that sensation.
“I went for a scan last Thursday and by the Friday I knew it was not good.
“I had a consultation on Wednesday and I am going to proceed with surgery so I am going to London and then, hopefully, surgery on Saturday.
“It is good that it is moving quick.”
Plank joined Stranraer in September along with fellow Tynecastle talent Matthew Gillies.
The duo has impressed in midfield and helped Chris Aitken’s side into the top half of the League Two table.
20 year old Plank said: “Everyone at Stranraer has been crazy welcoming and I think that is part of why I feel I have done well.
“I have just felt a lot of love from everyone.
“Obviously, all the coaching staff have been unbelievable, the players, and when you come down to Stranraer, obviously, the fans, the committee, the chairman, have been great.”
Stranraer travel to Ainslie Park this Saturday to face a Spartans team still firmly in the title battle.
The capital club trail East Kilbride by just a point and will be hoping to pounce on any slip-up from the leaders.
At the same time, Stranraer sit two points adrift of Elgin City, who hold the final playoff place.
Plank was hoping his team-mates, who have already played 47 games this season, could yet extend their campaign.
He said: “Hopefully, I can come to a game.
“Hopefully, I will make the awards evening but I will have to see how things progress.
“Maybe the playoffs!”
Last meeting
A late Aaron Quigg goal gave Stranraer a second win of the season over Spartans.
Dean Cleland could have opened the scoring when Matthew Gillies picked him out with a ball over the top. The striker took a little too long and Paddy Martin came out and made the block. The striker would not have long to wait for a goal though as he nodded home after a Dominic Plank cross.
Marc McNulty was denied a Spartans leveller by Max Currie, but the equaliser would come in the second half. Ethan Drysdale’s shot took a deflection off Evan Dunne and then Joe McGrath could only divert the shot beyond the goalkeeper.
That was how the score stayed until late in the game when Quigg raced onto Lewis Reid’s long ball and lifted it over a stranded Martin.
Stranraer: Currie, Reid, McGrath, McKnight (Hunter 81), Dunne, Coll, Plank (Dolan 69), McManus (Quigg 69), Gillies, Lang (O’Donnell 81), Cleland (Hughes 88).
Not used: Ecrepont, Docherty and Tas.
Spartans: Martin, Sonkur, Drysdale (Nair 85), Waugh, K Watson (Davidson 46), Welsh, Dishington (Aiken 73), Craigen (Russell 46), Whyte, McNulty, Stowe.
Not used: Booth, Dall, P Watson, Lawless and Carswell.
Last five meetings
- Stranraer 2 Spartans 1 (Cleland and Quigg; Own goal) at LIME Stadium on February 21, 2026
- Spartans 0 Stranraer 4 (Lang, M Russell (Pen), Quigg and Dunne) at Ainslie Park on November 22, 2025
- Stranraer 0 Spartans 2 (Dishington and C Russell) at LIME Stadium on September 13, 2025
- Spartans 2 Stranraer 1 (Walls and C Russell; Guthrie) at Ainslie Park on April 5, 2025
- Stranraer 2 Spartans 0 (Docherty and Edgar) at Stair Park on February 1, 2025
Last five games
Stranraer
- DRAW v Dumbarton (H): 1-1 (Dunne)
- LOSS v Annan Athletic (A): 1-0
- WIN v Clyde (H): 3-1 (Reid, Dunne and Lang)
- LOSS v Clyde (A): 2-1 (Hughes)
- WIN v East Kilbride (H): 2-1 (Gillies and Reid)
Spartans
- WIN v Edinburgh City (A): 0-3 (McNulty, Stowe and Sonkur)
- DRAW v East Kilbride (H): 1-1 (Tapping)
- DRAW v Forfar Athletic (A): 1-1 (Lawless)
- WIN v Forfar Athletic (H): 1-0 (McNulty (Pen))
- WIN v Clyde (H): 2-1 (McNulty (Pen) and Stowe)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Dumbarton: Tas, Ecrepont, Reid, McGrath, Dunne, Dolan (Hunter 78), Quigg (Stuart 71), McManus, Gillies (Hughes 71), Turay (McKnight 88), Lang.
Not used: Docherty, Lynch, Coll and Henderson.
Spartans
Lineup v Edinburgh City: Martin (Carswell 69), Tapping (Dall 70), Nair, Sonkur, Drysdale (Booth 78), Dishington, Lawless (C Russell 63), Craigen, Whyte, McNulty (Wylie 78), Stowe.
Not used: Waugh, Watson, Aiken and Ndlovu.
Five facts
- Stranraer did not receive a single yellow card last weekend against Dumbarton. That is only the third time this season that has happened and the first at the LIME Stadium since February last year when Stranraer defeated Stirling Albion 3-0 courtesy of goals from Kirk McKnight, Elliot Dunlop and Robbie Foster.
- Stranraer were 4-0 winners on their last trip to Ainslie Park. The Blues have kept only one clean sheet on their travels since and that came at the Edinburgh club’s title rivals East Kilbride.
- Lewis Reid is second in League Two when it comes to minutes played – missing just 15 minutes this season. The only minutes he has missed came on the last visit to Ainslie Park. The only player to have played more minutes in League Two this campaign is Edinburgh City goalkeeper Mark Weir, who has played every minute.
- Reid’s 47 appearances are the most by a Stranraer player in a single season since 2013/14, when David Mitchell (49), Scott Robertson (48), Jamie Longworth (48), and Martin Grehan (48) each recorded more.
- It was not until Stranraer’s third visit to Ainslie Park that they enjoyed that winning feeling. Blair Henderson had put the hosts in front but goals from Elliot Dunlop and Mark Russell had turned things round before half time. Russell would net a late penalty to wrap up a 3-1 win.
Admission
Buying your ticket online in advance is recommended via the home club’s ticketing platform.
Podcast
Check out this week’s edition of Look Blues Talking for an exclusive interview with Deryn Lang, all the talking points from last weekend’s home meeting with Dumbarton and a preview of Saturday’s trip to Spartans.
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 Laurence Nelson and Cameron Ritchie calling the action on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)
