Scorers: Spartans – Walls (35) and Russell (80); Stranraer – Guthrie (59)
Another late goal conceded saw Stranraer leave with nothing after matching Spartans at Ainslie Park.
The Blues had conceded late on against Clyde to lose seven days ago and a Cammy Russell effort gave Spartans all three points in Edinburgh.
That came after Max Guthrie cancelled out a Brogan Walls effort just before the hour mark.
There could have been goals before Walls’ strike though with both teams having chances early doors.
Stranraer were the first to threaten with Elliot Dunlop’s ball wide to Matty Grant catching out the home defence.
Grant raced onto it but his drive was blocked by the onrushing Blair Carswell.
Spartans immediately countered and a Blair Henderson header was blocked by Sam Kane before Craig Ross hooked the bouncing ball off the line.
Deryn Lang could not turn a Robbie Foster cross home as both sides started promisingly.
The goal came, in part, from a flick through the defence by Henderson.
Russell sprinted clear but saw his low effort blocked by the feet of Kane.
Despite the block, Stranraer could not get the ball fully clear and Russell collected it near the corner flag.
He crossed it in and Walls had time to take a touch and then fire the ball low into the net.
Stranraer came within a whisker of a quickfire equaliser after some great play down the left by Dunlop.
He skipped away from his marker and whipped in a cross but Foster’s guided volley was just a fraction too high.
Lewis Reid was not too far away from a headed leveller early in the second half but the goal would come just before the hour.
Guthrie had only been on the pitch for seven minutes – replacing Foster who went down injured – before he scored.
Lang played it through for Dunlop, whose shot across goal was only partially blocked by Carswell.
Substitute Guthrie was quickest to react and put the ball into the net from inside the six-yard box.
Stranraer would have chances to turn the game on its head as a quickly taken free-kick eventually saw the ball fall to Aaron Quigg.
His shot from the edge of the box deflected into the path of Lang but he scooped the ball high and wide.
Finn Ecrepont, who has not scored since his wonderstrike against Clyde in February last year, came close with a fierce free-kick from a tight angle that had Carswell well beaten.
Unfortunately, the winning goal would not come to Stranraer and saw a well worked Spartans move finished off by Russell.
Now, Stranraer turn their attention to a trip to the Forthbank Stadium home of Stirling Albion knowing that a victory will guarantee League Two football next season.
Spartans: Carswell, Watson (Preston 67), Waugh, Sonkur, Dall, Walls (Stowe 77), Craigen (Hunter 84), Whyte, Dishington, Henderson, Russell.
Not used: Laing, Morgan and Meek.
Stranraer: Kane, Brindley (Ecrepont 55), Ross, McKnight, Reid, Robertson, Dunlop, Quigg, Grant (Edgar 77), Foster (Guthrie 52), Lang (Hawkshaw 77).
Not used: Docherty and Lane.
Referee: Alex Shepherd
Attendance: 352
HT: 1-0
Photos: Bill McCandlish
