Small margins can make all the difference and Stranraer were left to rue a goal on the stroke of half time on Saturday.
James Hilton’s strike for Clyde cancelled out Corey O’Donnell’s first goal for the Blues and ensured both teams had to settle for a point.
The timing of the equaliser proved a real sickener for Stranraer and Lewis Reid felt if the team could have held out until the half time whistle it could have been a different story come full time.
He said: “I think we had a throw in and the referee has said there are two minutes to go until half time.
“In those situations, the ball has just got to stay in their half of the pitch.
“We were slack, let them get up the pitch and if there are good players then they are going to hurt you if you give them time round about your box.
“There were points where we could have stopped it at source.
“We have let them turn, face us up, they have got in the box and good players will hurt you.
“They put it in the back of the net and I don’t think they really had too much up until then.
“That is where a wee bit of game management needs to come in.
“You know it is coming up for half time and you have just got to get up the pitch and keep it in their half.
“You don’t want to even let them get a half chance so it is frustrating because I felt that if we had gone in 1-0 up then I think we would have gone on to win that game.”
The central defender made the permanent switch to Stranraer after an enjoyable loan spell from Queen’s Park towards the end of last season.
On Tuesday, he could again feature at the heart of the defence as his side welcome Rangers B in the KDM Evolution Trophy (kickoff 7.30pm).
Reid was expecting another tough game but it was one he was looking forward to.
He said: “They are very good football players but so are we.
“We are the senior team so we should be dominating these games.
“If we give them time, they will play and pass round about us so we need to make sure we are up for it and get right at them.”
The defender is increasingly catching the eye with his runs through the middle of the park, which are becoming firm favourites with the Stair Park faithful.
The 21-year-old was determined to get his first goal for the club and said: “It has just opened up a few times!
“Instead of playing safe, you have just got to go for it – sometimes it will work and sometimes it won’t!
“I think one worked today and one did not but it is just one of those things and we are all trying to score goals.
“It gets us further up the pitch as well so we just need to keep going.
“I don’t know about me scoring a wondergoal but there is a header coming.
“I had one today and it was ridiculous that was ruled out but there is one coming.”
Last meeting
Scott Robertson would be presented with a shirt marking 200 games for Stranraer last time Rangers B visited Stair Park.
Both sides would have chances to break the deadlock, with the home side having more than their fair share. Instead, it would be the visitors that found the breakthrough during the second half.
Josh McPake, now with St Johnstone, managed to find some room to cut in from the left and fired across Dale Burgess from inside the box.
Then, with Stranraer pushing for a leveller, Jamie Barjonas scored a decisive second with eight minutes left.
The game also marked the debut of both Harry Mitchell and Reece Agnew.
Stranraer: Burgess, Robertson, Cummins, Pignatiello, D Smith, Hamill, McManus, Hilton, Murphy, I Smith (Mitchell 69), Thomson (Agnew 81).
Not used: McIntyre, Adair and Brown.
Rangers B: Wright, Houston, Patterson, Finlayson, Breen, Thomson, Grezda (Lowry 84), Barjonas, Kennedy (Maxwell 78), McPake, Mebude.
Not used: McClelland, Balde, Butterworth, Miller and Kinnear.
Last five games
Stranraer
- DRAW v Clyde (H): 1-1 (O’Donnell)
- LOSS v East Kilbride (A): 3-1 (Turay)
- WIN v Alloa Athletic (H): 2-1 (Dolan and Turay)
- LOSS v Edinburgh City (H): 1-2 (Russell (Pen))
- LOSS v Forfar Athletic (A): 1-0
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Clyde: Lane, Ecrepont, Reid, Rough, Dunne (Docherty 61), Dolan, Quigg, Russell, Turay (Stuart 75), McManus (Hunter 61), O’Donnell.
Not used: Coll, McKnight, Sharp, Edgar and Henderson.
Rangers B
Lineup v Stenhousemuir: McGuire, Kerr, Wark (Fernie 75), Wylie (Hutton 47), Campbell, McCallion, Smith, Adamson (Scott 75), Eadie, Burnside (McClure 47), Stewart (Cameron 80).
Not used: Reid, Hynd, Christie and Thackray.
Ins and outs
Stranraer
Ins: Beejay Coll (St Cadoc’s), James Dolan (Unattached), Evan Dunne (Beith Juniors), Ewan Henderson (Whitletts Victoria), Ronan Hughes (St Cadoc’s), Lewis Hunter (The Spartans), Josh Lane (Hamilton Academicals, loan), Daniel McManus (St Cadoc’s), Corey O’Donnell (Stenhousemuir), Lewis Reid (Queen’s Park, loan made permanent), Scot Rough (Beith Juniors), Tommy Sharp (Livingston), Jordan Stuart (Beith Juniors) and Sallu Turray (Partick Thistle).
Outs: Tomas Brindley (Cumnock Juniors), Adam Cummins (Irvine Meadow), Grant Gallagher (Cumnock Juniors), Matty Grant (Johnstone Burgh), Dean Hawkshaw (Hurlford United), Craig Ross (Airdrieonians), Max Guthrie (Ayr United, end of loan), Sam Kane (Queen’s Park, end of loan), Josh Lane (Hamilton Academical, end of loan) and Scott Robertson (retired).
Five facts
1. Former Stranraer loanee Murray Miller was an unused substitute the last time a Rangers B side made the journey to Stair Park. He made three appearances for the Blues while on loan from Stirling Albion. He spent last season with Kelty Hearts.
2. Ex-Stranraer defender Derek Hamilton celebrates his 67th birthday on Tuesday. He began his senior career at Aberdeen and made more than 100 appearances for St Mirren before joining Stranraer. A brief spell at Stair Park was followed by another brief spell at Greenock Morton.
3. Among those involved with the Rangers backroom staff is another former Stranraer loan signing: Conor Brennan. The goalkeeper joined the Blues in Brian Reid’s first season at Stair Park and would make six appearances for the club. He is now head of academy goalkeeping at Ibrox.
4. Stranraer have not lost a midweek cup game at Stair Park since a penalty shootout loss to Albion Rovers in October 2020. The game finished 2-2, with Ayrton Sonkur and Ruari Paton on target for the home side. Sam Jamieson and Gregor Fotheringham scored for the visitors, who would go on to win 15-14 on penalties. Future Stranraer signing Joe Moore was among the visiting team. The home team was: Fleming, Robertson, Burns, Sonkur (Cummins 46), Devitt, McManus, Hilton (Elliott 66), Millar, Duffy (Orr 73), Stirling, Paton. Not used: McIntyre, Hamill, Gallagher and Walker.
5. Chris Aitken’s team have scored in all five of their home games this season. The last time they managed that was the 2023/24 campaign, where Forfar Athletic halted the run in game six.
Admission
Admission in the Eco Gen Stadium at Stair Park is ‘pay at the gate’ only. Season tickets are not valid for Tuesday evening’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
Stranraer FC merchandise is available from the hut outside the main McLeans Taxis Stand, including this season’s brand new Adidas kits.
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 our popular Pavilion Bar outside the away turnstile 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 and full match footage by Wednesday morning.
Extended highlights will be available via YouTube on Wednesday afternoon, with our very own David Kelly returning alongside club legend Allan Jenkins on commentary.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, Colin Poultney (Collarge Images)
