One game at a time is the simple message from Finn Ecrepont.
Stranraer have eased fears of finishing as Club 42 for the second season in a row with a string of impressive performances since the turn of the year.
That has allowed many of the Blues faithful to allow themselves to dream of a late play-off challenge.
For Ecrepont, who has passed 60 appearances in a Stranraer shirt, it is all about the next game being the most important game.
He said: “We have got to take it game by game and I think that is what we have been doing.
“As a team, nobody has been speaking about if we do this or if we do that.
“If we go to Saturday, win – if we can – and try to get three points, we will see where it takes us.
“We have got seven more games and we will see where that takes us.
“I don’t want to say how high we can go but if we keep winning our games then we will see where it can take us.”
The first of those seven games comes against a Forfar Athletic side who do not want to follow in Stranraer’s footsteps and finish bottom of Scottish League Two.
The Angus side are battling away and picked up three vital points on their last visit to the Eco Gen Stadium at Stair Park.
That came despite the home side taking the lead and Forfar playing much of the game with 10 men.
Now, Ecrepont and team-mates will be looking to reverse that score and make it one defeat in six home contests.
He said: “Every team we come up against at this point of the season is desperate for points.
“Forfar are down the bottom of the league and East Fife are up the top of the league.
“For us, we are desperate for three points to try to close in on promotion.”
The Blues come into the game boosted by a 3-0 win over league leaders East Fife.
A Deryn Lang double after a Dean Hawkshaw penalty ensured Stranraer have picked up maximum points from their visits to Bayview Stadium this season.
Ecrepont felt they were well worth their latest win and said:
“It’s an excellent result and I think the performance backs it up as well.
“It was a result that we deserved, which, at times, we have not done.
“I don’t think Saturday could have gone any better.
“Recently, we have struggled to score goals but on Saturday, to be fair to the forward players, we score three and concede zero.
“It was a fully merited win and I don’t think anyone that was at the game could argue with that.”
Last meeting
Fans do not need to cast their minds back too far to remember the last time Stranraer and Forfar Athletic faced off.
Blues fans saw their side go in front when Matty Grant collected Lewis Reid’s cross field ball. Grant slotted it through for Ryan Edgar, who produced a composed finish.
Forfar’s chances looked to have suffered a further blow when Mackenzie Lemon was sent off on the half time whistle. However, all credit to the visitors, who pushed to get into the game after the break.
They managed to turn the game on its head in the final 15 minutes. First, Craig Slater swept home a free-kick and then they were awarded a penalty in stoppage time, with Bradley Rodden firing home.
Stranraer: Lane, Ross, Docherty (Foster 46), Ecrepont, Reid (Guthrie 76), Dunlop, Hawkshaw (Robertson 72), Quigg, McKnight, Grant, Edgar (Lang 72).
Not used: Smith, Phillips and Kane.
Forfar Athletic: McCallum, Logan, Morrison, Allan, Young (Hutchison 46), Lemon, Denholm, McAllister (Skelly 46), Slater, Ferguson (Robson 81), Byrne (Rodden 58).
Not used: Malcolm, Whatley, Inglis, McLean and Paris.
Last five meetings
- Stranraer 1 Forfar Athletic 2 (Edgar; Slater and Rodden (Pen)) at Stair Park on March 4, 2025
- Forfar Athletic 0 Stranraer 1 (Gallagher) at Station Park on January 25, 2025
- Forfar Athletic 2 Stranraer 1 (Cannon and Malcolm; Guthrie) at Station Park on September 21, 2024
- Forfar Athletic 2 Stranraer 0 (Whatley and Morrison) at Station Park on April 27, 2024
- Stranraer 0 Forfar Athletic 0 at Stair Park on March 2, 2024
Last five games
Stranraer
- WIN v East Fife (A): 0-3 (Hawkshaw (Pen) and Lang x2)
- DRAW v Peterhead (H): 0-0
- LOSS v Forfar Athletic (H): 1-2 (Edgar)
- WIN v Edinburgh City (A): 0-1 (Ross)
- WIN v Stirling Albion (H): 3-0 (McKnight, Dunlop and Foster)
Forfar Athletic
- LOSS v Spartans (H): 0-2
- WIN v Elgin City (A): 0-1 (Rodden)
- WIN v Stranraer (A): 1-2 (Slater and Rodden (Pen))
- LOSS v Clyde (H): 0-1
- DRAW v Spartans (A): 1-1 (McAllister)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v East Fife: Kane, Robertson (Foster 82), Ross, Ecrepont (Brindley 77), Reid, Dunlop (Grant 75), Hawkshaw, Quigg, McKnight, Lang, Edgar (Guthrie 75).
Not used: Docherty and Lane.
Forfar Athletic
Lineup v Spartans: McCallum, Logan, Morrison, Allan, Hutchison (Young 72), Robson (Whatley 77), McAllister, Slater (Inglis 77), Ferguson, Skelly (MacLean 62), Rodden.
Not used: Malcolm and Paris.
Five facts
- Happy birthday to Stranraer’s top scorer this season Mark Russell. The former Greenock Morton and Falkirk man turns 29 on Saturday. He has scored nine goals in 31 appearances this campaign.
- Forfar Athletic are unbeaten in their last four visits to the Eco Gen Stadium at Stair Park, with a different goalkeeper lining up for Stranraer on each occasion. Josh Lane lined up earlier this season while it was Lewis Budinauckas and Martin McDonald last term and Luke Scullion prior to that. Sam Kane could make it a fifth different shotstoppers in as many meetings. In comparison, Marc McCallum has been the Forfar number one on each occasion.
- Stranraer have picked up nine clean sheets this season with seven games still to play. Last season, in 44 games, the Blues managed 11 shutouts.
- Dean Hawkshaw was on the scoresheet against East Fife last weekend. Fittingly, it was against the Fifers that he made his Stranraer debut against back in February 2018. The Bayview side were 2-0 winners on that day. The Stranraer team was: Currie, Robertson, Neill, Hamill, Woods (Lyon 64), Agnew (Anderson 64), McGowan, Okoh, Turner, Beith, Dykes (Hawkshaw 64). Not used: Barron, MacPherson, Thomson and McLaren.
- Since taking charge of Stranraer, Chris Aitken’s side have won 10, drawn five and lost eight games. Coming into his first game in charge, the Blues had just five points and were three points adrift of Saturday’s opponents. Since then, Stranraer have moved 11 points clear of Forfar.
Admission
Admission in the Eco Gen Stadium 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
All three 2024/25 Mizuno kits are back in stock and available from the merchandise hut outside the main McLeans Taxis Stand, along with training tops, clothing, scarves and club ties.
Cash and card payments are accepted and we open from 1.30pm.
You can also purchase a range of merchandise online.
Pavilion Bar
Pop into the 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.
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 later on Sunday.
Extended highlights will be available via YouTube on Sunday, with regular duo Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish
