From Borough Briggs to Tenerife and on to Stair Park.
It has been a busy week for the Stranraer squad who picked up another impressive three points at Elgin City last weekend.
The majority of the players then enjoyed a short break on the Canary Island before returning to Scottish shores ahead of Saturday’s contest with Dumbarton.
Summer signing Evan Dunne stressed attention was now firmly back on football after a couple of days in the sun.
He highlighted the importance of the team spending time together off the pitch and said: “There are a lot of Glasgow boys in the squad and on the bus journey you get a lot closer.
“Maybe you only see each other at training or games but two hours on the bus there and back and the Elgin trips, you do bond together.
“You are becoming a lot closer and it is a really good group which makes it a lot easier.
“Trips like Tenerife, you have got memories to last a lifetime.
“For those couple of days, you go out as a team but now it is back to business and making sure that we take care of that on Saturday.”
Scot Rough’s late winner at Elgin proved the perfect send off for Stranraer ahead of their trip.
Now, Dumbarton, managed by former Stranraer favourite Frank McKeown, are the visitors to Stair Park in the last game before Christmas.
After a disappointing first quarter to the campaign, the Blues have shown a real upturn in form as the season approaches the halfway point.
Dunne, who joined from Beith in the West of Scotland Football League, said: “To be honest, we have shown it in the early part of the season against teams in higher divisions that we could compete.
“We held our own and looked as if we were the team in the higher division.
“Obviously, we did not get the best start to the league campaign but there was that belief in the team, in the management and staff, that we can turn that round.
“We wanted to show that we can go toe-to-toe with anybody.
“We have played nearly everybody twice and there is not a team to fear or think that they are better than us.”
In a different world, Dunne could have been lining up for tomorrow’s visitors to Stair Park.
He said: “At the start of the season, I was in training with Dumbarton for pre-season.
“I played a pre-season tournament at Stenhousemuir with them and at the same time I had been speaking to Stranraer.
“The way it worked out, Dumbarton kind of said they wanted to offer me something but were struggling to find the finances at the time.
“My mind was made up for me and I did not have a decision to make.
“It has worked out for the best, I am really enjoying it at Stranraer and delighted to sign here.”
Last meeting
A late goal from James Dolan saw Stranraer pick up three valuable points at Dumbarton.
Mark Russell opened the scoring in the first half as he scored after his initial penalty was saved.
Former Stranraer man Mark Durnan levelled things up when he nodded home from Chris Johnston’s corner.
However, Dolan’s wonderstrike off the underside of the crossbar gave the Blues the victory.
Dumbarton: Kelly, Webster, Durnan, Livingstone, Neill, Tomlinson (Falconer 81), D Docherty, Kirkpatrick, Roy (Johnston 46), McIntosh, Honeyman (Wallace 70).
Not used: Lynas, Walker, Blair, McEvoy, McArthur and O Ecrepont.
Stranraer: Lane, Reid, Rough, Gillies (Docherty 60), Coll, McKnight (Lang 73), Russell (Plank 88), McManus, Hunter (Quigg 60), Dolan, Edgar (O’Donnell 60).
Not used: F Ecrepont, Sharp, Turay and Henderson.
Last five meetings
- Dumbarton 1 Stranraer 2 (Durnan; Russell and Dolan) at Dumbarton Football Stadium on September 27, 2025
- Stranraer 0 Dumbarton 0 at Stair Park on April 20, 2024
- Stranraer 5 Dumbarton 0 (Own goal, Grant, Forrest, Armour and Lang) at Stair Park on March 5, 2024
- Dumbarton 2 Stranraer 1 (Ruth and T Wallace; Ross) at Dumbarton Football Stadium on February 24, 2024
- Dumbarton 3 Stranraer 1 (T Wallace, R Wallace and Ruth; Armour) at Dumbarton Football Stadium on September 30, 2023
Last five games
Stranraer
- 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)
- WIN v The Spartans (A): 0-4 (Lang, Russell (Pen), Quigg and Dunne)
Dumbarton
- LOSS v Inverness Caledonian Thistle (H): 0-9
- WIN v East Kilbride (H): 2-0 (Docherty and Durnan)
- LOSS v Edinburgh City (A): 4-3 (McIntosh x2 (Pen x1) and Wallace (Pen))
- LOSS v Auchinleck Talbot (H): 0-4
- LOSS v Forfar Athletic (H): 1-4 (McIntosh)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Elgin City: Lane, F Ecrepont (Coll 77), Reid, Rough, Dunne, Stuart, Quigg (Gillies 70), Plank (Russell 77), McManus, Dolan (S Docherty 89), Lang.
Not used: McKnight, Hughes, Sharp, Hunter and Henderson.
Dumbarton
Lineup v Inverness Caledonian Thistle: O Ecrepont, Lynas, Clark (Durnan 46), Neill, Marshall, Blair (Livingstone 56), Wallace (Walker 46), Gilfedder, McArthur (D Docherty 46), Roy (McIntosh 62), Honeyman.
Not used: Webster, McArthur, Donald and Kelly.
Five facts
- Stranraer have won their last five games, including an extra time success over Clydebank. The last time they won five games in a row was in August and September 2011. The Blues started with a 2-1 win over Berwick Rangers (Chris Aitken and Craig Malcolm scored) before a 6-0 win away to Montrose (two from Stuart McColm and Michael Moore, as well as goals from Aitken and Malcolm). September started with a 4-2 win over Annan Athletic (doubles from Aitken and McColm) before a 3-1 triumph at East Stirlingshire (Steven Noble, McColm and Moore found the net). Finally, there was a 1-0 win against Elgin City when Nathan Shepherd scored the only goal.
- Chris Aitken’s side were victorious against Dumbarton earlier in the campaign but you need to go back five years for the last time they won consecutive fixtures against the Sons. Grant Anderson, David Brownlie and PJ Crossan all found the net in a 3-2 win at Stair Park before Kyle Turner scored the only goal in Dumbarton.
- Stranraer have played 17 home games this term and only failed to find the net in two: A 2-0 defeat to The Spartans in September before a 1-0 loss to Annan Athletic the following month.
- Dominic Plank’s goal against Elgin City was the first time Stranraer had scored in the 41st minute in almost three years. James Hilton was the last player to do that when he found the net against East Fife in January 2023.
- Stranraer have not kept a clean sheet in the league at Stair Park this season. Fans need to think back to April earlier this year when they defeated Edinburgh City 2-0, thanks to goals from Max Guthrie and Deryn Lang.
Admission
Admission at Stair Park is ‘pay at the gate’ only. 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
There’s just one more chance to bag your Stranraer FC presents before Christmas, with plenty of goodies available from the hut outside the main McLeans Taxis Stand.
We’re stocked with limited sizes of this season’s new Adidas kits, hats, scarves, umbrellas, plenty of warm layers, and some great bargains.
If you need an extra stocking filler, pick up your brand new Stranraer FC 2026 calendar (also available online via Shopify), along with brand new club-branded Christmas bauble decorations, pin badges and key rings.
Cash and card payments are accepted and we open from 1.30pm.
If you’re happy to wait until after Christmas, you can also purchase a range of merchandise online.
Pavilion Bar
Pop into our 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.
Podcast
Check out the latest episode of Look Blues Talking for a full review of our dramatic late win at Elgin, along with a detailed discussion of this weekend’s meeting with Dumbarton.
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 reunited on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)
