Mark Russell is calling on Stranraer to put last weekend’s disappointment behind them at the first opportunity.
The Blues had bounced back from going a goal behind against Bonnyrigg Rose before the Midlothian men scored a last minute winner.
Now, Russell and team-mates head to Ainslie Park looking to get back on the winning trail against Spartans.
The summer signing said: “I think we need to put it behind us – we have got no option.
“We just need to take it on the chin and move on.
“We need to make sure that it does not happen again.
“We need to go up there, believe we can get a result as we did a couple of weeks ago at East Fife.
“People said we were going to go up and get turned over.
“We will go into Saturday and look forward to it.”
Russell made the move to the south-west of Scotland having spent time with Galway United and Portadown.
Signed by Scott Agnew, it offered him the chance to link up with Tom Orr, who he has known for a number of years.
However, football does not always follow the script and Russell is now strutting his stuff under Chris Aitken with Orr and Agnew having left the club.
Russell said: “To be honest, I’m loving it so far.
“Obviously, we have changed management and it was Scott Agnew who brought me in but I have really enjoyed it.
“I have settled in well and just enjoying my football.
“Myself and Tom have a bit of a laugh about it now.
“I think it was only three or four weeks with each other and it meant I had to start driving myself – he was going to be the driver!
“It is just one of those things.”
Twenty-eight-year-old Russell has already become a key component of the Stranraer side this campaign.
The former Greenock Morton man has been on target four times in 20 appearances to top the goalscoring chart alongside Deryn Lang.
And his experience has also proven a positive in what remains a relatively youthful Stranraer squad.
He said: “A lot of the boys are a lot younger than me.
“I think it is only myself, Grant Gallagher, Adam Cummins and Scott Robertson that are the older ones, Dean Hawkshaw too.
“I just try to do the best I can and try to help the younger ones and keep them right.”
Previous meeting
A two-goal home lead was surrendered on the opening day of the league season as Stranraer and Spartans settled for a point.
The opening goal of the league season came in bizarre circumstances when Deryn Lang’s effort looped up off a sliding Spartans defender and left Blair Carswell with no chance.
The advantage was doubled when Lang turned provider for Elliot Dunlop, who scored from inside the box.
Robbie Foster would strike the crossbar and Ayrton Sonkur denied Lang but it would all change after the break, as Paul Watson nodded home from close range just a few minutes after the restart.
That clearly gave the visitors hope and Watson was on target for a second time to make it 2-2.
Stranraer: Pazikas, Cummins, Ross, McKnight, Ecrepont, Brindley, Dunlop, Russell, McIntosh, Foster (Edgar 69), Lang (Grant 79).
Not used: Robertson, McQueen, Hawkshaw, Hughes, Adam and Broun.
Spartans: Carswell, K Watson, Booth, Sonkur, P Watson, Dishington (Walls 69), Hunter, Craigen, Whyte, Henderson, Russell.
Not used: Inglis, Denholm, Wylie, Lamont, Scott and Meek.
Last five meetings
- Stranraer 2 Spartans 2 (Lang and Dunlop; P Watson x2) at Stair Park on August 3, 2024
- Spartans 0 Stranraer 0 at Ainslie Park on April 13, 2024
- Stranraer 1 Spartans 2 (Orr; Sonkur x2) at Stair Park on February 17, 2024
- Spartans 3 Stranraer 0 (Denholm, Sonkur and Own goal) at Ainslie Park on December 23, 2023
- Stranraer 3 Spartans 4 (Orr, Dolan and Lang; Craigen, Armstrong, Tapping and Henderson) at Stair Park on October 7, 2023
Last five games
Stranraer
- LOSS v Bonnyrigg Rose (H): 1-2 (Robertson)
- WIN v East Fife (A): 1-2 (Guthrie and Grant)
- LOSS v Elgin City (A): 1-0
- WIN v Threave Rovers (A): 2-3 (Edgar x2 and Lang)
- DRAW v Peterhead (H): 0-0
Spartans
- WIN v Stirling Albion (H): 3-0 (Henderson and Russell x2)
- WIN v Forfar Athletic (A): 0-3 (Russell, Walls and Henderson (Pen))
- LOSS v Peterhead (A): 2-1 (Whyte)
- LOSS v Cowdenbeath (H): 1-2 (Walls)
- LOSS v Elgin City (H): 1-3 (Henderson (Pen))
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Bonnyrigg Rose: Mutch, Robertson (Grant 65), Ross, McQueen, Ecrepont (Brindley 88), Reid, Gallagher, Russell, Hawkshaw (Dunlop 74), Guthrie (Edgar 74), Lang (Cummins 88).
Not used: McKnight, Adam and Pazikas.
Spartans
Lineup v Stirling Albion: Carswell, K Watson, Booth, Sonkur, P Watson, Scott (Dishington 66), Walls (Hunter 66), Craigen (Waugh 86), Whyte, Henderson (Stowe 75), Russell.
Not used: Whittaker, Denholm, Wylie and Meek.
Five facts
1. Stranraer have scored 18 goals against Spartans but every one of them has come at Stair Park.
2. Last weekend, Ryan Edgar became the first Stranraer substitute to be sent off since David Dangana was shown a red card against Airdrie in September 2019.
3. Spartans are attempting to win three league games in a row for the first time since the turn of the year. Then, they won four by defeating Forfar Athletic (1-0), Elgin City (4-0), Stranraer (3-0) and Peterhead (1-0).
4. Friday marks the 46th birthday of former Stranraer defender Damiano Agostini. The former Queen’s Park and East Fife man spent the 2009/10 campaign at Stair Park. He made 25 appearances, with his debut coming in a 5-0 defeat to Dundee. Stranraer finished the game with 10 men after David Mitchell was sent off and having used all their substitutes it meant Danny Mitchell finished the game between the sticks. The visiting team to Dens Park was: David Mitchell, Wright, Noble, Agostini, Nicoll, Danny Mitchell, Donald (McInnes 68), Jack (Moore 57), Montgomerie, McGeouch, McGrath (G Mitchell 53). Not used: Aitken and Leith.
5. Scott Robertson scored the rebound of Mark Russell’s penalty last weekend against Bonnyrigg Rose. However, it is now more than 12 months since Stranraer scored from 12 yards. Dylan Forrest was successful from the penalty spot against Elgin City on November 4 last year.
Admission
Admission at Ainslie Park is priced as follows:
- Adult – £17.00
- Concession (16 to 18 and 65+) – £12.00
- Youth (13 to 15) – £5.00
Supporters can either purchase tickets online or pay at the gate.
Coverage
We’ll have live matchday updates on X (formerly Twitter) for those not heading to Edinburgh this weekend, and the manager’s interview will be available on YouTube following the game.
Extended highlights will be available Sunday morning on YouTube, as Brian Martin braves the big coat weather to rejoin Laurence Nelson on commentary.
Club 1870 subscribers can catch the goals after 10pm on Saturday night, along with full match footage later on Sunday.
Photos: Bill McCandlish, MadMacPhotography
