Four unanswered goals helped Stranraer to a stunning away win at league leaders Spartans.
Chris Aitken’s side made the trip to Edinburgh looking to bounce back from defeat to East Kilbride and did so in some style.
The manager made three changes from the previous game, with Dominic Plank coming in for his first start alongside the returning Evan Dunne and Matthew Gillies.
That meant places on the bench for Ryan Edgar, Jordan Stuart and Kirk McKnight.
The home side actually started in positive fashion as a long ball down the touchline was only flicked on by Lewis Reid.
Marc McNulty raced onto the loose ball and took aim but Josh Lane stood tall to make the block at his near post.
Then, from a corner, the ball was nodded down into the six-yard box but Kieran Watson could only hook the ball over the bar and onto the roof of the net.
Another corner brought another chance for the hosts but again the Stranraer goalkeeper was equal to it.
Ethan Drysdale managed to poke the ball towards goal but Lane managed to get something behind it and his defence got the ball clear.
The game changed on the 27th minute as Stranraer took the lead with their first shot on target.
Reid saw an effort from distance blocked and with the ball spinning towards the corner flag it was collected by James Dolan.
The midfielder swung the cross in, where it was brought under control by Deryn Lang.
The frontman seemed to have little chance with his back to goal but he managed to turn and then blasted beyond a helpless Paddy Martin.
If Spartans were reeling from going one down, they soon found themselves picking the ball out of the net for a second time.
Finn Ecrepont’s free-kick into the box was not cleared and Dunne was caught by Drysdale as he attempted to clear the bouncing ball.
Mark Russell then stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Things would get even better for the Blues when Dolan’s free-kick was glanced on by Scot Rough.
The ball fell invitingly for Aaron Quigg and he slid the ball under the home goalkeeper.
And there was still time for one more Stranraer goal before the referee’s half time whistle.
Dunne saw his first effort blocked from Ecrepont’s corner but the ball dropped back for the former Beith man and he smashed home.
A 4-0 lead at half time put Stranraer well in control but cautious of Spartans really going for broke in the second half.
That never really materialised with Lane relatively untroubled for much of the second half.
Instead, it was the visitors who could have found the net.
Plank had two efforts from outside the box dealt with by Martin while Mark Stowe had a couple of off-target shots at the other end.
Substitute Daniel McManus also came close with a curling effort from outside the box but it was relatively straight forward for the home number one.
Indeed, the second half was a rather subdued affair compared to the first half where the Blues basically wrapped up the points.
A fantastic response to losing out to East Kilbride and Stranraer can now turn attention to Clydebank in the Scottish Cup.
Spartans: Martin, Booth (Craigen 32), Nair, Tapping (Dall 75), Watson, Whyte, Welsh, Aiken (Wylie 75), Drysdale, McNulty, Stowe (Ndlovu 81).
Not used: Brown, Innes and Carswell.
Stranraer: Lane, Ecrepont, Rough, Reid (Docherty 75), Dunne (Coll 75), Quigg, Gillies (Stuart 75), Dolan, Russell, Lang (McManus 81), Plank (Hughes 82).
Not used: Edgar, Hunter, McKnight and Henderson.
Referee: Cameron Stirling
Attendance: 401
HT: 0-4
Photos: Mark Brown (Spartans FC)
