Defender Adam Cummins is hoping the stability of having a new manager can help push Stranraer up the League Two table.
The Blues welcome Peterhead to Stair Park this weekend and, for the third time this season, will be led by a different man in the home dugout.
Scott Agnew began the campaign after leading the club to safety last term before stepping away to be replaced by Scott Robertson on an interim basis.
Robertson is looking to concentrate on the playing side once again with Chris Aitken now the man in charge.
Cummins said: “It was for easy us to use that as an excuse over the last four or five weeks.
“Obviously, Aggy made it clear he was stepping away and then Robbo stepped up and, in the end, did not want to take the job and wanted to carry on as a player.
“I think you can look at things and use them as excuses but in our own heads and in the changing rooms we have known whether it was Aggy, Robbo or Tiff, we are still playing for points even if your manager is there for one game or five games.
“We have steadied the ship with the manager getting announced now and he has his own slightly different ideas.”
Aitken was in charge for Stranraer’s trip to Edinburgh City a fortnight ago when the visitors picked up a memorable three points.
Max Guthrie’s late goal helped the club to its first away win in the league since Elgin City in August last year.
Cummins said: “It was important for, obviously, the new manager coming in to try to finish off the first quarter of the season and start off his new reign at Stranraer with a positive.
“I think we played very well in the first half, certainly.
“Then, we probably stopped playing a little bit in the second half and we conceded a goal.
“To be fair, we show a bit to go and get the last minute winner as well.
“I think a lot of people were aware of Stranraer not winning away from home in so long.
“We got our first win under the new manager and first away win in a long time so it was a very welcome three points.”
Of course, there is not just one match at Stair Park this weekend but two.
Sunday is the testimonial for Grant Gallagher and Scott Robertson, who, between them, have played almost 700 games for the club.
Cummins is hoping to mark his own milestone on Saturday when he could make appearance number 100 in a Stranraer shirt.
Since re-signing for the club in the summer, he has been a near mainstay in the Blues defence and he intends to keep it that way.
He said: “I’ve only missed 90 minutes of football this season and that was after the head clash I had against Ross County.”
Previous meeting
A Seb Ross goal was all that separated Stranraer and Peterhead in the first meeting of the new campaign.
The Balmoor Stadium side had already struck the post through Peter Pawlett before they got their noses in front in slightly bizarre fashion. A diving header from Ross was blocked by Jacob Pazikas, but the ball hit the grounded Ross and spun over the line.
Former Stranraer man Dylan Forrest came close before the break with a dipping volley and the hosts spurned a number of chances to put the game to bed.
Stranraer pushed for a leveller late on but Scott Robertson could not get on the end of a late cross and penalty appeals were waved away.
Peterhead: McKenzie, D Strachan, Jason Brown, Scott Ross (R Strachan 44), McCarthy, Smith, Pawlett, Forrest (Jack Brown 68), Seb Ross (Ward 77), Dunne, Barry (McAllister 77).
Not used: Armstrong, Wilson, Armour and Oluyemi.
Stranraer: Pazikas, Cummins, Ross, McQueen, McKnight (Edgar 46), Ecrepont, Brindley (Robertson 80), Russell (Woods 79), Grant, Dunlop, Lang (Gallagher 68).
Not used: Hughes, Adam and Broun.
Last five meetings
- Peterhead 1 Stranraer 0 (Seb Ross) at Balmoor Stadium on August 17, 2024
- Peterhead 2 Stranraer 0 (O’Keefe and Shanks) at Balmoor Stadium on March 9, 2024
- Stranraer 2 Peterhead 0 (Johnston and Orr) at Stair Park on January 13, 2024
- Peterhead 3 Stranraer 2 (McAllister, Scott Ross and McKee; Armour and own goal) at Balmoor Stadium on November 11, 2023
- Stranraer 2 Peterhead 1 (Orr and Fleming; Jason Brown) at Stair Park on September 2, 2023
Last five games
Stranraer
- WIN v Edinburgh City (A): 1-2 (Russell and Guthrie)
- LOSS v Stirling Albion (H): 0-2
- LOSS v Forfar Athletic (A): 2-1 (Guthrie)
- WIN v East Fife (H): 2-1 (Russell x2)
- LOSS v Annan Athletic (H): 1-5 (Dunlop)
Peterhead
- LOSS v Ayr United (A): 2-1 (Smith)
- LOSS v Elgin City (H): 0-1
- DRAW v Clyde (H): 2-2 (R Strachan and Barry)
- LOSS v East Fife (A): 2-0
- WIN v Stirling Albion (H): 2-1 (Own goal and McAllister)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Edinburgh City: Pazikas, Cummins, Ross, Brindley, Gallagher, Russell, Hawkshaw (Robertson 66), McIntosh (Woods 85), Reid, Dunlop (Grant 74), Guthrie.
Not used: McKnight, Ecrepont, Adam, Edgar and Broun.
Peterhead
Lineup v Ayr United: Oluyemi, D Strachan, Goldie, Scott Ross, Dunne, Jack Brown, Wilson (Jordon Brown 86), Pawlett (McAllister 86), Forrest (Barry 46), Seb Ross (Smith 62), Armour (Shanks 61).
Not used: Jason Brown, Ward and McKenzie.
Five facts
- Max Guthrie’s winning goal at Meadowbank Stadium was Stranraer’s first last minute winner since Olly McDonald’s strike against Clyde on August 26, 2023.
- Stranraer have not scored in the 46th minute of a game since February 14, 2015. The visitors to Stair Park that day were, of course, today’s visitors Peterhead. That is the longest time you need to go back to find a Stranraer goal in minutes 1-90. Jon McShane scored for Stranraer in a 2-0 win with Jamie Longworth also finding the net and Stranraer manager Chris Aitken was in midfield. The home team that day was: Mitchell, Pettigrew, Longridge, Rumsby, McKeown, Bell (Gallagher 20), Gibson, Aitken, Winter, McShane (Malcolm 62), Longworth (Stoney 82). Not used: Robertson, Russell, Stirling and Tobin.
- Former Stranraer loanee Adam Coakley celebrates his 37th birthday on Saturday. Beginning his career with Motherwell, he had a brief spell at Stranraer where he featured in five games before moving on having failed to find the net.
- It has been 292 minutes – the longest streak of its kind – since an away team has scored in a contest between Stranraer and Peterhead. The last goal for an away team came courtesy of a Caleb Goldie own goal at Balmoor Stadium last November.
- Bobby Linn and Martin Bavidge are the only players to have scored hat-tricks in games between the two clubs. Coincidentally, they both scored four goals in those games. Linn scored four in a 5-2 win (Bryan Gilfillan scored the other while David Hamilton and Alex Burns scored for Stranraer) at Balmoor Stadium in September 2006. In the next meeting, Bavidge also scored four in a 5-0 win (a Will Snowdon own goal was the other name on the scoresheet).
Merchandise
Visit the hut outside the main McLeans Taxis Stand to browse our range of club merchandise, including a limited selection away jerseys, training tops and more.
Teamwear is available to order from our online shop, with back orders available for any out of stock sizes.
Cash and card payments are accepted and the shop opens from 1.30pm.
Parking
There is parking space throughout the grassy areas of Stair Park, and you should find a spot within the grounds.
As always, check for any roadworks delays, please allow plenty of time for your journey and travel safely.
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
The testimonial is priced as follows:
- Adult – £10
- Children – £5
Please wrap up warm on Sunday, come along and show your support for two top servants to the club.
Pavilion Bar
Drop into the Pavilion Bar outside the away turnstile from 1pm for a pre-match refreshment.
Home, away and neutral supporters are warmly welcomed, and the bar accepts both cash and card.
Or, stop into the Stranraer FC Fitba’ Bar on North Strand Street in the town centre, which is also open to all.
Coverage
After a two-week international break, commentary duo Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin return home this weekend.
Our post match manager’s interview will be available on YouTube following the game, and extended highlights will follow on Sunday morning.
Club 1870 subscribers can catch an exclusive post-match player interview and watch the goals from 10pm on Saturday evening, along with full match footage later on Sunday.
For those further afield, you can follow live matchday updates on X (formerly Twitter) throughout the afternoon.
And we’ll do it all again the following day, with live updates of Scott Robertson and Grant Gallagher’s testimonial match from 2pm on Sunday, highlights available via YouTube on Monday morning, and the full match on Club 1870 later that day.
Photos: Bill McCandlish
