Partnerships are vital in football and none more so than at the heart of a defence.
Stranraer’s back line has played a key role in the club’s success this campaign, conceding just nine goals so far in Scottish League Two.
Mark McLuckie and Kenzi Nair have been central to that success.
McLuckie, who signed from Bo’ness United in the summer, revealed that they were forming a real bond both on and off the pitch.
He said: “I’m loving it.
“The boys have a bit of a laugh because I probably see him more than my mum!
“We work together and we coach together as well.
“That really helps off the pitch as well and we have built a great relationship.
“We are top mates and you can probably see that on the pitch.
“We are both engineers and both placed at the same training centre.
“We are with different companies but the same training centre for a year.”
That is just one of the examples in the Stranraer dressing room as the Blues look to secure a first league title since 2004.
Players are clocking up plenty of miles going up and down the A77, as well as away trips including the visit to Kelty Hearts on Saturday afternoon.
McLuckie felt those bus journeys were also helping Stranraer in their quest for glory.
He said: “You spend so much time together.
“Inevitably, you start building relationships and we are such a tight-knit group.
“That comes with producing results on the pitch.
“I think Martin Fellowes is right in saying those long journeys together, you are going through it together, and there are no individuals.
“I probably agree that those journeys probably are a secret weapon.”
McLuckie and Nair were again at the heart of the Stranraer defence last weekend as they defeated Stirling Albion 3-0.
The victory took Stranraer’s unbeaten league run to 11 games and kept them top of the standings.
Understandably, the mood is buoyant in the home dressing room.
Speaking after the full-time whistle, the defender said: “I think the key word is confidence.
“It is a big thing in football; it is a massive thing in football.
“There is no arrogance, there is just total belief that we are doing the right things every week.
“Again, we took a wee breather after the Clyde game and looked at how we can create more chances.
“I think you saw that out there.”
Last meeting
A Lewis Dobbie double gave Stranraer all three points when Kelty Hearts visited The LIME Stadium at Stair Park in late August.
Zach Bruce was the creator of the first goal when he pulled the ball back to Dobbie, who swept home from just inside the box.
The same two players would combine for the game’s second goal as well. Finn Ecrepont’s ball up the wing was flicked on by Bruce and Dobbie kept his cool to finish well from a tight angle.
Stranraer: Currie, Dunne, Ecrepont, McLuckie, Gillie, Quigg, Traynor (Hughes 71), Bruce (Stuart 62), McManus (Dolan 71), Dobbie (Foster 82), Mason (Cleland 82).
Not used: Nair, Lynch, Healy and Henderson.
Kelty Hearts: Smith, C Flatman (Hannah 59), Davidson, Falconer (Walker 59), Brydon, Ferguson, McManus, Hislop, Cunningham (Moffett 59), Cole (Higginbotham 66), Shanley (McCormick 74).
Not used: Z Flatman, Snoddy and Adamson.
Last five meetings
- Stranraer 2 Kelty Hearts 0 (Dobbie x2) at The LIME Stadium at Stair Park on August 29, 2026
- Kelty Hearts 3 Stranraer 0 (Johnston, Murray and Campbell) at New Central Park on September 6, 2025
- Kelty Hearts 2 Stranraer 0 (Daramola and Johnston) at New Central Park on July 25, 2023
- Stranraer 0 Kelty Hearts 3 (McNab, Reilly and Higginbotham) at The LIME Stadium at Stair Park on April 16, 2022
- Kelty Hearts 3 Stranraer 2 (O’Ware, Barjonas and Austin; Muir and Hilton) at New Central Park on January 29, 2022
Last five games
Stranraer
- WIN v Stirling Albion (H): 3-0 (Traynor, Healy and Dobbie)
- DRAW v Clyde (H): 0-0
- WIN v Tayport (H): 3-1 (Dobbie, Nair and Foster)
- WIN v Spartans (A): 0-2 (Mason and Healy)
- DRAW v Kilmarnock B (H): 3-3 (Mason (Pen), Quigg and Plank)
Kelty Hearts
- WIN v Annan Athletic (A): 1-2 (Hislop and Brydon)
- WIN v Greenock Morton (A): 0-1 (Murray)
- LOSS v Elgin City (H): 0-1
- LOSS v Edinburgh City (A): 4-1 (M Falconer)
- WIN v Forfar Athletic (H): 2-1 (Z Flatman and Murray)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Stirling Albion: Currie, Dunne, McLuckie, Nair, Gillie (Coll 83), Quigg, Plank (Dolan 78), Healy (Stuart 70), Traynor, Dobbie (Cleland 83), Mason (Foster 78).
Not used: Ecrepont, Cameron and Henderson
Kelty Hearts
Lineup v Annan Athletic: Smith, Hannah, C Flatman, Z Flatman, Brydon, Murray (Moffett 86), Hislop, M Falconer, Moore, Cunningham, Shanley (Higginbotham 69).
Not used: T Falconer, Walker, Lawson and Adamson.
Five facts
- Archie Traynor’s 33rd minute goal against Stirling Albion was the first time Stranraer had scored in that minute since Evan Dunne scored against Stirling Albion in August.
- Lewis Dobbie’s goal against Stirling Albion last weekend took Stranraer’s total for the season to 51 in 24 games.
- If Evan Dunne starts Saturday’s contest at New Central Park that will be his 50th start in a Stranraer shirt. On top of that, he has come off the bench on nine occasions and scored eight goals.
- Seventy-nine years ago on Saturday, former Stranraer midfielder Bobby Lawrie was born. He is best known for his time at Partick Thistle, where he won the League Cup in 1971. He would go on to play for Stranraer before managing in the Junior ranks.
- Goalkeeper Andy McNeil had to go off injured last weekend at The LIME Stadium at Stair Park. That’s the first time that a goalkeeper has been substituted in a Stranraer home game since Edinburgh City visited in April 2025. Mark Weir went off with 10 minutes left and Dean Beveridge came off the bench.
Admission
Tickets and admission details for Saturday’s game are available from Kelty’s online ticketing platform.
Coverage
If you can’t make the journey to Fife on Saturday, you can purchase the live stream from SPFL Player.
You can also 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, along with full match footage.
Extended highlights will be available via YouTube on Sunday morning, with Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin back on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, Dylan Heron (DylzVisualz)