Saturday marks game number 49 of a long and gruelling season for Stranraer.
A surge up the League Two table since the end of the first quarter of the campaign has the Blues very much in with a chance of extending their season further and the promotion play-offs.
This weekend’s opponents, Forfar Athletic, travel to the LIME Stadium at Stair Park with their own hopes of finishing in the top four in just a couple of weeks.
If it is Stranraer who get over the line, one man who will be desperate to make it a season to remember for all the right reasons is Robbie Foster.
The striker ruptured his Achilles early in pre-season and has not kicked a ball for the first team this campaign.
Now, the finish line is in sight and he is determined to force his way into Chris Aitken’s squad.
Foster said: “That is all I have been thinking about ever since I got injured – coming back and scoring.
“Now, we are looking at, hopefully, getting into the play-offs and I have been thinking that I can see myself scoring and helping the team out.
“Getting us over the line.”
Foster was among those cheering on Stranraer last weekend against Spartans at Ainslie Park.
Goals from Sal Turay and Aaron Quigg helped the Blues back into fourth place with the games running out.
At the same time, Forfar were picking up their own important three points – defeating East Kilbride.
Foster stressed focus was firmly on what happened in games involving Stranraer.
He said: “Today was a massive result.
“We cannot look at the other teams in and around us.
“We have just got to focus on what we can do and that is what we are doing.
“Hopefully, we can make the play-offs by doing that.
“They are all massive games, they are all cup finals, and that is how we are looking at it.
“That is what we have got to do altogether and just keep pushing and make sure we get over the line.”
The frontman spoke after the full-time whistle at Ainslie Park as he took another step on the road to recovery.
24-year-old Foster has become a familiar sight pre-match, completing laps of the pitch and his own warm-up.
But last weekend saw him involved once again with the first team squad.
He said: “Things are looking positive for me and the team.
“I’ve joined back in with training over the past couple of weeks.
“Each session, Tuesday and Thursday, I do a little bit more and a little bit more.
“Tuesday and Thursday coming, hopefully, I will be doing a full session and then, hopefully, fingers crossed, I’ll be in the squad.”
Last meeting
The spoils were shared when Stranraer made the trip to Angus earlier this year.
The hosts came closest early doors when a long kick up the park from Marc McCallum cause confusion in the Stranraer defence. Jake Sutherland nipped in ahead of Josh Lane but his header clipped the post.
Instead, it was the visitors who found the breakthrough. Deryn Lang controlled the ball on the edge of the box and laid it back to Finn Ecrepont, who drove it home.
Forfar pulled level before the break when a free-kick was headed back across goal and Martin Rennie nodded in.
Stranraer would take the lead for a second time, though. A fine run by Dominic Plank saw the ball played to Dean Cleland. His shot was blocked but Lang was in the right place for an easy tap-in.
Lewis Reid then hit the post with a header as Forfar’s defence kept the team in it. That hard work paid off as Forfar managed to gain a point when Sutherland slotted home from a fine through ball.
Forfar Athletic: McCallum, Dolzanski, Richardson (Allan 60), Bright, Slater, Cannon (Alston 69), Mailer, Shepherd (Lorimer 76), Rennie, Whatley (Wilson 60), Sutherland.
Not used: Martin, Wark, Lemon and McLinden.
Stranraer: Lane, Ecrepont (Coll 89), Reid, Rough, Dunne, Quigg (Russell 82), Plank (Hughes 89), McManus, Gillies, Lang (Hunter 82), Cleland (Dolan 76).
Not used: Docherty, McKnight, Stuart and Henderson.
Last five meetings
- Forfar Athletic 2 Stranraer 2 (Rennie and Sutherland; Ecrepont and Lang) at Station Park on January 10, 2026
- Stranraer 3 Forfar Athletic 1 (Dolan (Pen), Edgar and Lang; Slater) at The LIME Stadium on November 1, 2025
- Forfar Athletic 1 Stranraer 0 (Morrison) at Station Park on August 2, 2025
- Stranraer 0 Forfar Athletic 1 (Ferguson) at The LIME Stadium on March 22, 2025
- Stranraer 1 Forfar Athletic 2 (Edgar; Slater and Rodden (Pen)) at The LIME Stadium on March 4, 2025
Last five games
Stranraer
- WIN v Spartans (A): 1-2 (Turay and Quigg)
- 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)
Forfar Athletic
- WIN v East Kilbride (H): 1-0 (Morrison)
- WIN v Elgin City (H): 2-1 (Rennie and Shepherd (Pen))
- DRAW v Dumbarton (A): 2-2 (Sutherland (Pen) and Wilson)
- LOSS v Elgin City (A): 2-0
- DRAW v Spartans (H): 1-1 (Sutherland)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Spartans: Tas, Reid, McGrath, Dunne, Coll (Ecrepont 75), Quigg, McManus (Hughes 75), Gillies, Hunter (Stuart 62), Turay (Dolan 75), Lang.
Not used: Docherty, McKnight, Lynch and Henderson.
Forfar Athletic
Lineup v East Kilbride: McCallum, Lynas, Morrison, Allan, Bright, Slater, Mailer, Haddow, Shepherd, Sutherland (Richardson 89), Wilson.
Not used: Lemon, Strachan, Pasnik, Alston, MacLean, Rennie, Whatley and Vitols.
Five facts
- Sal Turay’s sixth minute goal was the first time Stranraer have scored in the sixth minute since Matty Yates found the net against Stenhousemuir on September 18, 2021.
- Aaron Quigg has scored four goals for Stranraer this season. The first came against Queen of the South. The other three – 75% – have come against Spartans.
- Leon Murphy featured 16 times for Stranraer during the 2019/20 season and found the net once – against Dumbarton. He turns 27 on Saturday. Fellow former Blue Steven Noble made 159 appearances before leaving for Peterhead in 2012. He scored five goals and would also play for Beith Juniors alongside Scot Rough, Jordan Stuart and Evan Dunne. He turns 38.
- If Stranraer can find the net on Saturday, it would take their number of league goals to 45. That is the same number of goals as they scored across all competitions last season.
- Michael Mullen was the last player to score a hat-trick for Stranraer against Forfar Athletic. Incredibly, that came as a substitute and even more impressively, it all took place in the space of just 16 minutes. Mullen replaced Joe McAlpine on 53 minutes at Stair Park on April 14, 2007. He opened the scoring on 74 minutes and would then find the net on 78, 85 and 89. Kevin Moon netted a stoppage time consolation for the visitors. The home team that day was: Ferguson, Dillon, Sharp, McKinstry, Snowdon, Hamilton, Gibson, Ramsay, McAlpine (Mullen 53), McGrillen (Janczyk 81), Moore. Not used: Walker, Lyle and Black.
Admission
Admission is ‘pay at the gate’. 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 kits, exclusive Adidas teamwear, hats, scarves, umbrellas, warm layers, pin badges, key rings, stickers 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 preview Saturday’s home showdown with Forfar, celebrate a big win at Spartans and hear from goalscorer Sal Turay.
Coverage
If you can’t make it, 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.
Extended highlights will be available via YouTube on Sunday, with Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin reunited on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)
