It has been a long wait for Stranraer fans to enjoy victory over Annan Athletic.
The Galabankies have held the upper hand in recent seasons when the two sides have faced each other.
That included last term when Willie Gibson’s men enjoyed two wins to go alongside two draws.
Saturday presents a chance to change that and Aaron Quigg was hopeful that could happen.
He said: “I feel like last season against Annan was a weird one.
“We were good in the games but it was just silly goals and even the conditions.
“In the home game in October, the weather was terrible and it killed the game.
“Even up there after Christmas, it finished 2-2 and we had good moments in the game.
“Annan have got good players and quality so it is always a good game.
“Hopefully, we can come out on top on Saturday.”
Both teams come into the game looking to get their season up and running.
Quigg said: “We all feel very confident in each other and what the manager and the management team are trying to do.
“I know everyone in there is pulling in the same direction so it is going to click eventually.
“Hopefully, it clicks on Saturday.”
The Blues come into the game on the back of a 3-1 defeat to Clyde last weekend.
The loss came despite Ronan Hughes opening the scoring on 25 minutes.
An unfortunate own goal from Lewis Gillie saw momentum switch in the home side’s favour.
Quigg said: “I thought for the first 30 minutes we were really good.
“One freak goal, there is nothing Lewis can do about it after a great save from Max.
“It maybe just kind of spooked us for about 15 minutes.
“That is the point we should have just got together and be hard to beat for the next 15 minutes and got into half time.
“It was a freak 15 minutes, we conceded another two goals and end up going in 3-1 down, which, obviously, was not ideal.”
Twenty-year-old Quigg is now in his second full season with Stranraer after making the move from Saturday’s opponents.
Increasingly, he has become a key part of the Stranraer squad but felt there was still more to add to his game.
He said: “I just feel goals – goals and assists and numbers.
“I want to be a big part of the team this season and I can only do that by contributing, scoring goals and creating goals.
“As a midfielder, that is what you want to do.”
Last meeting
Aidan Smith scored the only goal of the game as Annan Athletic made it through a season unbeaten against Stranraer.
Some of the visiting fans thought there was a foul on Evan Dunne in the build up but Stranraer had time to get the ball clear before Smith swept home from outside the box.
Sallu Turay struck the crossbar while Dunne was unlucky to see his effort fly the wrong side of the post.
The final Stranraer chance fell to Lewis Hunter but he could not direct his header on target.
Annan Athletic: Albinson, Hooper, Muir, Watson, Clark, Carrick, Dixon (Maxwell 83), P Smith (Sowa 72), Gibson, A Smith, Goss (McGowan 83).
Not used: Mumbongo and Clarke.
Stranraer: Tas, Reid, McGrath, Dunne, Stuart (McManus 61), Ecrepont, Quigg, Plank, Gillies (Hunter 70), Dolan (Hughes 70), Turay (Lynch 81).
Not used: Docherty, McKnight and Henderson.
Last five meetings
- Annan Athletic 1 Stranraer 0 (A Smith) at Galabank on March 28, 2026
- Stranraer 0 Annan Athletic 0 at The LIME Stadium at Stair Park on February 7, 2026
- Annan Athletic 2 Stranraer 2 (Gaffney and A Smith; Russell (Pen) and Lang) at Galabank on December 27, 2025
- Stranraer 0 Annan Athletic 1 (Watson) at The LIME Stadium at Stair Park on October 4, 2025
- Stranraer 1 Annan Athletic 5 (Dunlop; A Smith x2, Gibson (Pen), Wood and Dixon) at The LIME Stadium at Stair Park on September 7, 2024
Last five games
Stranraer
- LOSS v Clyde (A): 3-1 (Hughes)
- LOSS v Falkirk (A): 3-0
- LOSS v Edinburgh City (H): 0-2
- DRAW v Alloa Athletic (A): 2-2 (Alloa Athletic win 4-3 on penalties) (Gillie and Quigg)
- LOSS v Ayr United (H): 2-3 (Dolan (Pen) and Traynor)
Annan Athletic
- LOSS v Spartans (H): 2-4 (Maxwell x2)
- LOSS v Clyde (A): 4-1 (Roy)
- LOSS v Airdrieonians (A): 3-0
- LOSS v Dundee (H): 0-5
- LOSS v Ross County (H): 1-4 (A Smith)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Clyde: Currie, Coll (Ecrepont 46), Gillie, Nair (Cameron 72), Dunne, Healy, Bruce, Traynor (Cleland 62), Quigg, Hughes (Binnie 82), Dobbie.
Not used: Lynch, McLuckie and Henderson.
Annan Athletic
Lineup v Spartans: Albinson, Clark, Watson, Muirhead (Roy 86), Carrick, Dixon (McKnight 39), Gibson, P Smith, A Smith, Maxwell, Cooper.
Not used: Connolly, Martins, McDermott and Sliwinski.
Transfers
Stranraer
Ins: Murray Binnie (St Johnstone), Zach Bruce (Hibernian, loan), Connor Cameron (Renfrew), Dean Cleland (Hibernian), Lewis Dobbie (East Kilbride), Lewis Gillie (Hibernian, loan), Aaron Healy (Arthurlie), Mark McLuckie (Bo’ness United), Kenzi Nair (Heart of Midlothian), Dominic Plank (Heart of Midlothian) and Archie Traynor (Kilmarnock, loan).
Outs: Ryan Edgar (Cumnock Juniors), Matthew Gillies (Heart of Midlothian, end of loan), Lewis Hunter (Caledonian Braves), Deryn Lang (Dumbarton), Joseph McGrath (Hibernian, end of loan), Kirk McKnight (Annan Athletic), Corey O’Donnell (Annan Athletic), Lewis Reid (Ross County), Tommy Sharp (Cumnock Juniors), Lyndon Tas (Heart of Midlothian, end of loan), Sallu Turay (Linlithgow Rose), Sean Docherty and Robbie Foster.
Annan Athletic
Ins: Darryl Carrick (Queen’s Park), Lennon Connolly (Clyde), Cammy Cooper (Airdrieonians), Brannan McDermott (Glenafton Athletic), Kirk McKnight (Stranraer), Daniel Martins (Caledonian Braves), Aaron Muirhead (Partick Thistle), Corey O’Donnell (Stranraer), Ally Roy (Dumbarton) and Milosz Sliwinski (Queen’s Park, loan).
Outs: Myles Gaffney (East Fife), Tommy Goss (Threave Rovers), Max Kilsby (Darlington), Timam Scott (Queen’s Park, end of loan), Josiah Sowa (Queen’s Park, end of loan), Gio Clarke, Euan Deveney, Paul McGowan, Ryan Muir and Joel Mumbongo.
Five facts
- Defender Ally McMillan played for a number of clubs during his career. Having already played for Greenock Morton, Clyde, Clydebank and Cowdenbeath, he joined Queen of the South. His spell at Stranraer was brief, making just four appearances in 2000 before moving on to Albion Rovers. McMillan was born on August 8, 1975.
- Between them, Stranraer and Annan Athletic have played 10 games this season but neither has won a game.
- Stranraer’s last victory on August 8 was in 2015 and marked Brian Reid’s first league victory in charge of the Blues. Ryan Thomson had scored for Stranraer before Cowdenbeath drew level through Dean Brett. However, in stoppage time, Craig Malcolm kept his cool to score from the penalty spot and secure the away win. The visiting team was: Brennan, Robertson, Pettigrew, Bell, Rumsby, Keenan, Thomson, Malcolm, Stirling (McCloskey 74), Longworth (Cairney 69), McGuigan. Not used: Trialist, Mair, Aitken and Currie.
- Stranraer failed to beat Annan in the four meetings last term. In fact, Stranraer have failed to beat the opposition in the last nine meetings. A Paul Woods penalty gave the home side a 1-0 win at The LIME Stadium at Stair Park in July 2022.
- Aidan Smith has scored six goals for Annan against Stranraer since November 2022. In the same time, Stranraer have scored five times against the opposition.
Admission
Admission is ‘pay at the gate’. Season tickets are valid for Saturday’s opening home league game, and available to purchase.
Away fans can enter the ground from the away turnstile opposite the main stand. This turnstile is cash only.
The following pricing applies:
- Adult – £17
- Concession (over 65) – £12
- Youth (5 to 16) – £6
- Under 5 – FREE
Pavilion Bar
Pop into our ever-popular Pavilion Bar outside the away turnstile from 1pm for a pre-match refreshment with fellow fans.
Home, away and neutral supporters are warmly welcomed, and the bar accepts both cash and card.
Or, stop off at the Stranraer FC Fitba’ Bar on North Strand Street in the town centre, which is also open to all.
Merchandise
Our new replica away shirts will be available for purchase at the stadium. You can order yours online now, along with a range of Blues merchandise
As ever, the hut at the McLeans Taxis Stand entrance stocked with all three kits, exclusive Adidas teamwear, hats, scarves, umbrellas, pin badges, key rings, stickers and much more.
Cash and card payments are accepted.
Podcast
In this week’s edition of club podcast Look Blues Talking, we look back on the opening league game of the season and hear from club captain Beejay Coll.
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 by Sunday morning, with Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, Dylan Heron, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)