A recommendation from a former Stranraer goalkeeper helped seal the deal for Sam Kane’s move to Stair Park.
The teenage shotstopper is hoping to make his debut on Tuesday night when his new club make the lengthy trip to Peterhead.
And his new surroundings are very familiar to the man who is guiding him at parent club Queen’s Park.
The new signing said: “The boys are good and the staff at Stranraer are good as well.
“I’ve only trained a few times but I’m looking forward to playing and trying to climb the table as well.
“Just before New Year, I was offered a contract at Queen’s Park and had been told that they wanted me to go out on loan.
“Obviously, with Robbie Mutch and Jacob Pazikas going back, Stranraer needed goalies.
“My goalkeeping coach, Michael McGovern, put a good word in for me.
“I wanted to go and get experience and put my name out there.”
Kane would have been hoping to make his debut at the New Dundas Park home of Bonnyrigg Rose on Saturday.
But with that, like many lower league games across the country, falling victim to the plummeting temperatures, he has instead had to wait a little bit longer.
Now, he will travel north with his new squad, including another new shotstopper in Josh Lane, who has joined on loan from Hamilton Academical.
He said: “Josh is a good goalkeeper and I back myself as well.
“It will only push me on with the competitiveness between us both.”
Eighteen-year-old Kane started out at Motherwell and spent a number of years learning his craft at Rangers.
A move to Queen’s Park followed before a brief loan spell at a club Stranraer know only too well after a tense finale to the season.
He said: “I had a month’s loan at East Kilbride and played three games there.
“It was a good wee bit of experience for me – a first taste of men’s football.
“The difference between academy football and first team football is massive.
“There are so many different aspects: the physicality, the type of football you play.
“When you play academy football it is maybe more about development but when it comes to men’s football it is all about winning the game.”
Last meeting
Stranraer handed a debut to Robbie Mutch but it was Peterhead goalkeeper Stuart McKenzie who was called into action in the first half.
Finn Ecrepont had already fired over before Matty Grant’s shot from outside the box was held by the keeper.
Max Guthrie then hit the base of the post, although the offside flag had already gone up, and he saw another effort saved by McKenzie.
Peterhead enjoyed more chances after the break with Max Barry testing the debutant number one but both Sean McIntosh and Deryn Lang came close at the other end.
Stranraer: Mutch, Cummins, C Ross, Ecrepont, McIntosh (Dunlop 84), Gallagher, Grant (Hawkshaw 55), Reid, Russell, Guthrie (Robertson 55), Lang (Edgar 81).
Not used: McQueen, Woods, McKnight, Adam and Pazikas.
Peterhead: McKenzie, Strachan, Goldie, Jason Brown, Scott Ross, Dunne (McCarthy 73), Jack Brown (Shanks 64), Pawlett (McAllister 83), Forrest, Smith, Barry (Seb Ross 73).
Not used: Wilson, Armour, Jordon Brown, Duthie and Oluyemi.
Last five meetings
- Stranraer 0 Peterhead 0 at Stair Park on October 19, 2024
- 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
Last five games
Stranraer
- DRAW v Clyde (H): 1-1 (Russell (Pen))
- DRAW v Stirling Albion (A): 1-1 (Russell)
- DRAW v Edinburgh City (H): 0-0
- WIN v The Spartans (A): 1-3 (Dunlop and Russell x2)
- LOSS v Broxburn Athletic (H): 1-2 (Dunlop)
Peterhead
- WIN v Edinburgh City (A): 0-1 (Shanks)
- LOSS v Elgin City (A): 2-0
- WIN v Bonnyrigg Rose (H): 2-0 (Pawlett and Shanks)
- DRAW v Forfar Athletic (A): 1-1 (Shanks)
- WIN v East Fife (H): 1-0 (Shanks)
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Clyde: Pazikas, Robertson, Brindley, Craig Ross, McQueen (Reid 46), Gallagher, Dunlop (Ecrepont 88), McKnight (Foster 46), M Grant, Russell, Guthrie (Edgar 69).
Not used: McIntosh, Adam and Cummins.
Peterhead
Lineup v Edinburgh City: Oluyemi, D Strachan, Goldie, Jason Brown, Wilson, McCarthy, Jack Brown, Pawlett, Forrest (McAllister 72), Shanks (Colloty 46), Barry (Scott Ross 89).
Not used: Armstrong, Jordon Brown, Seb Ross and McKenzie.
Five facts
1. One man who will be hoping for a birthday to remember is Dylan Forrest. The former Stranraer midfielder swapped Stair Park for Balmoor Stadium in the summer. He turns 23 on Tuesday. He made 76 appearances for Stranraer and scored four goals. Currently, he is on 26 appearances and one goal for Peterhead. He shares a birthday with former Stranraer players Neil Armour, Tommy Lowrie and Amadou Kassaraté.
2. Over the last decade, Stranraer have won three of their first games of the new year. Ten years ago, Craig Malcolm and Jamie Longworth found the net in a 2-0 win away to Ayr United. Longworth was on target against the same opposition at Stair Park 12 months later. Then, in January 2021, Stranraer were 2-0 winners over Annan Athletic thanks to goals from Tom Orr and Ruari Paton.
3. Barring a surprise selection on Tuesday, a fourth different goalkeeper will line up for Stranraer. The last time Stranraer did that was during the 2015/16 season. Cameron Belford led the way with 20 appearances while David McGurn pulled on the goalkeeping jersey on 16 occasions. Conor Brennan made half a dozen starts while Max Currie played on four occasions, including one from the bench.
4. Stranraer’s first-ever trip to Balmoor Stadium came in August 2003. On that occasion, the hosts took the lead five minutes into the second half through Andy Roddie. An Alan Grant penalty levelled things up and David Graham scored the winner with 15 minutes left. The victorious team was: McCondichie, Wingate, Wright, Swift, Henderson, Sharp, Jenkins, Aitken (McPhee 46), Finlayson, Grant, Moore (Graham 71). Not used: Cruickshank, Kerr and Meechan.
5. Stranraer are yet to score against Peterhead in the two meetings this season but have taken a point. They failed to find the net in all four of the meetings in 2008/09 as Peterhead took 12 points out of 12. However, Stranraer can top that. They won five out of five in 2014/15, including a Scottish Cup tie. It started with a 5-0 win at Stair Park, with Willie Gibson, a certain Chris Aitken and Danny Stoney finding the net alongside a Jamie Longworth double. Longworth scored the only goal of the game in the cup tie at Balmoor just a few days later. December saw a 4-1 win at Balmoor with Frank McKeown, Grant Gallagher, Craig Malcolm and Aitken finding the net – Jamie Stevenson had scored first for the hosts. Valentine’s Day 2015 saw Longworth and Jon McShane break Peterhead hearts. Finally, a first half Andy Rodgers strike was overturned as Gibson and Longworth scored.
Admission and coverage
Admission at Balmoor is via ticketed entry only, with tickets available online or from the ticket office at the ground.
Coverage will be limited due to midweek commitments and travel challenges for our team of volunteers, with our commentary team unavailable for the first time this season.
We aim to bring you highlights on Wednesday, with goals available to Club 1870 subscribers as soon as possible.
Please check the home club’s social media channels for live updates, or travel safely and make yourselves heard if you’re making the trip.
Photos: Bill McCandlish
