Captain Mark Russell is willing to keep ticking off the positions in a bid to help Stranraer.
Ryan Edgar, Robbie Foster, Deryn Lang, Corey O’Donnell and Sal Turay’s absence for Saturday’s contest with Dumbarton meant the Blues had no recognised strikers.
Instead, Russell pushed up front and he responded by scoring in the first half to give his side the lead.
He said: “I started at left back and then left midfield.
“I was over in Ireland and played centre midfield, attacking midfield, and then when I first signed here I was signed to play out on the right wing.
“It does not bother me, to be honest, and when the manager names the team if that is where he wants to play me then that is where he wants to play me.
“I feel I can do a job up there so I am happy enough.
“We have got a good squad in there and hopefully I have taken my chance.
“Hopefully, I get a wee run of games now.”
Lang is expected to return for the trip to Galabank on Saturday as Stranraer head to Annan.
However, it will more than likely be 2026 before Stranraer fans see Edgar, Foster, O’Donnell or Turay back in a blue shirt.
Despite the absence list, Chris Aitken’s team spent Christmas Day sitting in the promotion play-off places and closer to the top than the bottom.
Russell said: “Obviously, we have got the five strikers and four are injured and one was unwell.
“It is just one of those things.
“I was asked to play up front, James Dolan has played up front a few times but I was up there myself.
“I am happy enough to do that for the team.”
Russell’s first half goal looked like being decisive for the Blues in their final home game of the year.
However, Kai Kirkpatrick’s injury time equaliser meant both sides had to settle for a point.
Attention now switches to the trip to Annan and a chance to pick up three points after being edged out in the previous meeting at Stair Park.
Russell said: “We go there with the belief that we can go and win the game – as we do for every game.
“They had a good result at the weekend but we will go there with confidence and hoping to get three points going into the New Year.”
Last meeting
A second half goal from Keith Watson gave Annan Athletic all three points at a windy Stair Park in October.
The home side had plenty of chances in the first half, with Daniel McManus testing goalkeeper Gio Clarke before Lewis Reid’s header clipped the crossbar. Kirk McKnight also came close on two occasions before the break.
In the second half, Annan offered more going forward. Tommy Muir and Myles Gaffney were both denied before Watson smashed home from close range after a corner was not dealt with.
Stranraer: Lane, Reid, Rough, Docherty (Stuart 31), Coll, Dolan, McKnight, McManus (Quigg 76), Hunter (Plank 76), Russell (Turay 65), Lang (O’Donnell 65).
Not used: Ecrepont, Gillies, Edgar and Henderson.
Annan Athletic: Clarke, Hooper, Kilsby, T Muir, Watson (Bell 89), R Muir, Todd, P Smith (Kalala 44 (Dixon 82)), A Smith, Gaffney, Maxwell.
Not used: Deveney and Fleming.
Last five meetings
- Stranraer 0 Annan Athletic 1 (Watson) at Stair Park on October 4, 2025
- Stranraer 1 Annan Athletic 5 (Dunlop; A Smith x2, Gibson (Pen), Wood and Dixon) at Stair Park on September 7, 2024
- Annan Athletic 3 Stranraer 1 (Kilsby, Docherty and A Smith; O McDonald) at Galabank on August 15, 2023
- Annan Athletic 0 Stranraer 0 at Galabank on March 25, 2023
- Stranraer 1 Annan Athletic 1 (Hawkshaw; A Smith) at Stair Park on November 26, 2022
Last five games
Stranraer
- DRAW v Dumbarton (H): 1-1 (Russell)
- WIN v Elgin City (A): 1-2 (Plank and Rough)
- WIN v East Kilbride (A): 1-4 (Russell (Pen), Lang, McManus and Hunter)
- WIN v Stirling Albion (H): 3-2 (Lang x2 and Rough)
- WIN v Clydebank (H): 2-1 (Own goal and Edgar)
Annan Athletic
- WIN v East Kilbride (A): 1-3 (Gibson, Dixon and Craik)
- WIN v Forfar Athletic (H): 3-1 (Dixon, Maxwell and R Muir)
- LOSS v Stenhousemuir (A): 2-0
- DRAW v Spartans (H): 1-1 (T Muir)
- WIN v Buckie Thistle (H): 4-0 (T Muir x2, Maxwell and Gaffney)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Dumbarton: Lane, Ecrepont, Reid, Rough, Dunne, Dolan (Docherty 82), Plank (Coll 73), McManus, Gillies, Hunter (Quigg 62), Russell.
Not used: McKnight, Hughes, Sharp and Henderson.
Annan Athletic
Lineup v East Kilbride: Clarke, Hooper, Kilsby, Watson, Muir, Dixon, Todd, Gibson (McGowan 89), A Smith, Gaffney (Craik 82), Maxwell.
Not used: P Smith, Kalala and Balfour.
Five facts
- Annan Athletic are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Stranraer, stretching back to October 2022.
- Stranraer are unbeaten in their last six away games. That is the club’s best run away from home over 90 minutes since the beginning of the 2020/21 campaign when they avoided defeat in seven contests. That included two 1-1 draws at Annan (Ruari Paton scoring in one contest and Andy Stirling the other), a 1-1 draw at Ayr United (Darryl Duffy scored – Stranraer lost on penalties), a 1-0 win at Edinburgh City (Duffy again), a 4-1 win over Brechin City at Glebe Park (Paton and Duffy joined on the scoresheet by Tom Orr and James Hilton), a 2-2 draw at Ochilview (Adam Cummins and Paton on target), and a 3-2 win over Kelty Hearts (Orr and Paton alongside a Scott Robertson goal).
- Stranraer and Annan have played each other twice before in December and both resulted in wins for the Blues. On December 6, 2011, Stranraer were 3-0 winners at Galabank thanks to goals from Stuart McColm, Martin Grehan and Stephen Stirling. Then, 25 days later, Stranraer won 4-2 at Stair Park. Sean Winter scored a double while Stirling and Craig Malcolm were on target. Ian Harty and Sean O’Connor scored for the visitors.
- Mark Russell’s goal against Dumbarton last weekend took him to seven for the season. Three more goals would see him become the first Stranraer player to reach double figures in consecutive seasons since Craig Malcolm (14 in 2015/16 and 18 in 2016/17).
- Former Stranraer defender Scot Taggart turns 34 on Saturday. Now at Alloa Athletic, he spent much of 2011/12 on loan at Stair Park from Hibernian. In total, he made 24 appearances and found the net on two occasions. His debut goal came in a 6-0 win over East Stirlingshire. Stephen Stirling scored a double while Sean Winter, Stuart McColm and Michael Moore were also on target. The Stranraer side was: Marshall, Taggart, Noble, Macgregor (Gallagher 65), McKeown, Kane, Stirling (Agnew 77), McColm, Winter (Moore 70), Malcolm, Grehan. Not used: Shepherd and Mitchell.
Admission
Buying your ticket online in advance is recommended via the home club’s ticketing platform, or alternatively you can pay cash at the turnstile.
All entry is via the home turnstile, and Annan’s clubhouse is open to all from midday.
Podcast
Check out this week’s Christmas special of Look Blues Talking for a full review of our draw at home to Dumbarton, along with a detailed discussion of this weekend’s trip to Galabank.
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 Brian Martin calling the action on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, MadMac Photography, Spartans FC, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)
