Penalty shootout winners one week and penalty shootout losers the next.
For the second time this season, Stranraer saw their weekend’s fixture decided from the spot after 90 minutes.
Chris Aitken made three changes for the trip to Meadowbank as Sean Docherty and Jordan Stuart dropped to the bench and James Dolan missed out through injury.
That meant starts for Aaron Quigg, Kirk McKnight and Daniel McManus in the capital.
In truth, it was a first half that provided very little in the way of entertainment for either set of fans.
The home side had threatened early doors but that was a false promise of what was to come in the opening 45 minutes.
Innes Lawson’s clever turn in the centre circle offered him room to stride forward unchallenged.
He took aim from outside the box but goalkeeper Josh Lane was equal to it and turned the effort over the crossbar.
At the other end, Mark Weir punched clear a couple of corners while Sallu Turay’s effort from outside the box landed on the roof of the net.
City did have the ball in the net in the closing stages of the first half.
Lane could only push clear a shot from Robert Mahon and Lucas Quinn was on hand to fire the ball home from close range – only for the offside flag to immediately go up.
Stranraer grew more into the game in the second half and cancelled out much of Edinburgh’s attacks.
Despite that, they could not find a way through the home defence until the closing stages.
McManus cut in from the wing and a curling effort looked destined for the top corner only for Weir to pull off a stunning save.
Then, from the resultant corner, McManus could not direct his header on goal as it flew off target.
And with the game entering stoppage time, the home side had their own chance to win it.
Mahon’s shot had plenty of venom behind it but Lane got down well to push it to safety.
The on-loan goalkeeper was the hero in the shootout against Ross County but there was little he could do at Meadowbank Stadium.
Mahon found the net before Mark Russell blasted home.
Lawson scored and Weir then made the decisive save as he denied substitute Stuart.
Lewis McArthur and Tommy Sharp both scored and Ronan Hughes found the net to keep Stranraer in it after Quinn Mitchell netted.
It was all over though when Aidan Burgess’ strike was just beyond the reach of Lane.
Edinburgh City: Weir, Mitchell, Duncan, McArthur, Lynch, Brodie (Myles 85), Stokes, Lawson, Quinn (Sammut 85), Mahon, Daramola (Burgess 90).
Not used: Lang, MacKay, Richardson and Marinovic.
Stranraer: Lane, Coll, Reid, Rough, Dunne (Docherty 72), Quigg (Sharp 79), McKnight (Hughes 64), Hunter (Edgar 64), Turay (Stuart 64), McManus, Russell.
Not used: Ecrepont and Henderson.
Referee: Joel Kennedy
HT: 0-0
Photos: Bill McCandlish
