Getting points on the board has to be the target for Stranraer as they welcome Stirling Albion to the Eco Gen Stadium at Stair Park.
Defeat to Forfar Athletic means Stranraer sit off the bottom of the League Two table on goal difference only.
However, three points against Stirling could put the hosts up to seventh in the table and one point behind their opposition.
Harry Broun is among those hoping to help Scott Robertson’s side get back to winning ways.
He said: “Home form is massive.
“When Scott Robertson came in and before the East Fife game, we were looking at the next three games.
“He said he wanted us to go and get nine points.”
The trip to Station Park came a week after Stranraer had picked up a deserved three points against East Fife.
However, the Blues were unable to build on that promising showing.
Broun said: “We got our first win of the season the week before that and you want to kick on and go and make a statement just to show that we are not as bad as form shows.
“It was disappointing, especially the manner we conceded because they did not look like scoring.
“I would say most of the goals conceded, it is not like teams have to break us down or it is a good goal.
“It just comes from individual errors or decision-making.
“It comes from that and that is disappointing.”
Broun was one of a number of summer signings, making the switch from Dumbarton where he worked alongside Stevie Farrell, Frank McKeown and Eric Phillips.
Fellow goalkeeper Jacob Pazikas has the number one shirt at the moment.
However, Broun has vowed to support the on-loan Rangers goalkeeper in his development but equally wanted to get back between the sticks himself.
He said: “I came to fight for the number one shirt.
“That’s just the nature of the goalie.
“It’s also my job as the number two to support Jacob when he is playing.
“At the end of the day, we are friends off the park.”
Previous meeting
A penalty shootout was needed to decide a winner when these two sides met earlier this year.
It looked as if the hosts were well on course for the win when they went 2-0 up. Cammy McKinley tapped home from close range before Jacob Pazikas failed to hold on to Harry Wright’s low shot and Ally Roy pounced on the rebound.
To Stranraer’s credit, they found two goals in the final seven minutes. First, substitutes Ben Hughes and Deryn Lang combined for Ryan Edgar to score from outside the box. Then, another substitute, Tom Orr, fired in a cross for Lang to flick home.
In the end, former Stirling man Adam Cummins saw his spot kick saved before Orr’s penalty met the same fate.
Stirling Albion: Gaston, Dall, McGeachie, Sula, Ewen, Crane (Featherstone 66), Weir, Wright, Waugh, Roy, McKinley (Carrick 73).
Not used: Reilly, Knox, Scott, Howe and Law.
Stranraer: Pazikas, Brindley, Cummins, Ross, McIntosh, Grant (Edgar 82), Gallagher (McKnight 46), Dunlop (Lang 46), Russell, Hawkshaw (Hughes 82), Foster (Orr 60).
Not used: Robertson, McQueen, Adam and Broun.
Last five meetings
- Stirling Albion 2 Stranraer 2 (McKinley and Roy; Edgar and Lang) (Stirling Albion win 4-2 on penalties) at Forthbank Stadium on July 23, 2024
- Stranraer 1 Stirling Albion 1 (Robertson; Leitch) at Stair Park on March 18, 2023
- Stirling Albion 1 Stranraer 0 (Davidson) at Forthbank Stadium on January 28, 2023
- Stranraer 3 Stirling Albion 1 (Forrest, McIntosh and Gallagher; Thomson) at Stair Park on December 3, 2022
- Stirling Albion 4 Stranraer 1 (Fotheringham x2, Leitch and Carrick; Duffy) at Forthbank Stadium on September 17, 2023
Last five games
Stranraer
- LOSS v Forfar Athletic (A): 2-1 (Guthrie)
- WIN v East Fife (H): 2-1 (Russell x2)
- LOSS v Annan Athletic (H): 1-5 (Dunlop)
- LOSS v Bonnyrigg Rose (A): 0-2
- DRAW v Elgin City (H): 1-1 (Robertson)
Stirling Albion
- LOSS v Bonnyrigg Rose (H): 0-2
- LOSS v Peterhead (A): 2-1 (Brown)
- LOSS v Inverness Caledonian Thistle (A): 3-0
- WIN v The Spartans (H): 1-0 (Davidson)
- LOSS v East Fife (H): 0-4
Last time out
Stranraer
Lineup v Forfar Athletic: Pazikas, Brindley, Cummins, Ross, Ecrepont, Gallagher, Dunlop, Russell (Edgar 87), Hawkshaw (Lang 70), Woods (McIntosh 60), Guthrie.
Not used: McKnight, Adam and Broun.
Stirling Albion
Lineup v Bonnyrigg Rose: Gaston, McGeachie, Kerr, Dall, Harkness (Weir 73), Ferguson, Davidson, Brown, Waugh (Knox 82), Carrick, McKinley (Milne 64).
Not used: Scott, Howe and McIlvanney.
Ins and outs
Stranraer
Arrivals: Mo Adam (Gala Fairydean Rovers), Tomas Brindley (Forfar Athletic), Harry Broun (Dumbarton), Adam Cummins (Stirling Albion), Robbie Foster (Huntly), Kirk McKnight (Broomhill), Mark Russell (Portadown), Paul Woods (Unattached), Elliott Dunlop (Airdrieonians, loan), Max Guthrie (Ayr United, loan) and Jacob Pazikas (Rangers, loan).
Departures: Ben Armour (Peterhead), Andy Downie (Creetown), Kyle Fleming (Annan Athletic), Kyle Girvan (Elgin City), George O’Connor (Hurlford United), Ben Hughes (Hurlford United), Tom Orr (Cumnock Juniors), Josh Walker (Queen of the South), Cammy Williamson (Darvel), Lewis Budinauckas (Rangers, end of loan), Aidan Gilmartin (St Mirren, end of loan), Murray Miller (Stirling Albion, end of loan), James Dolan and Chris Johnston.
Stirling Albion
Arrivals: Adam Brown (Stenhousemuir), Sam Denham (Unattached), Harley Ewen (Cumbernauld Colts), Sam Featherstone (Livingston), Derek Gaston (Arbroath), Harrison Howe (Falkirk), Josh Kerr (Cove Rangers), Cooper Knox (Falkirk), Cammy McKinley (University of Stirling), Ally Roy (East Kilbride), Kyle Scott (St Johnstone), Erik Sula (Clyde), Harry Wright (Hibernian), Bailey Dall (Heart of Midlothian, loan), Alex Ferguson (St Johnstone, loan), Jack Harkness (Rangers, loan) and Ricky Waugh (Queen’s Park, loan).
Departures: Kyle Banner (Stenhousemuir), Sam Bird (Chorley), Cammy Clark (Dumbarton), Josh Cooper (Dunfermline Athletic), Adam Cummins (Stranraer), Blair Currie (Cumnock Juniors), Kieran Curtis (East Stirlingshire), Aaron Dunsmore (Cowdenbeath), Callum Law (Johnstone Burgh), Jack Leitch (East Kilbride), Jordan McGregor (East Kilbride), Paul McLean (Cowdenbeath), Josh McPake (St Johnstone), Murray Miller (Kelty Hearts), Kieran Moore (Drumchapel United), Greig Spence (East Stirlingshire), Mark Weir (Edinburgh City), Godwin Kangni-Soukpe (Broxburn Athletic, loan), Rudi Molotnikov (Hibernian, end of loan), Kieran Offord (St Mirren, end of loan) and Jordan Wyles.
Five facts
- Max Guthrie’s goal last weekend against Forfar Athletic was both a personal and club milestone. It was Guthrie’s first-ever senior goal and he also became the 200th player to score for Stranraer since the year 2000.
- Another milestone being marked at Station Park was Paul Woods reaching 100 appearances for Stranraer. It looked as if he would finish on 96 when he suffered a serious injury against – of all teams – Forfar Athletic in October 2022. However, he has clocked up four more appearances this campaign to reach a century.
- Saturday marks the 33rd birthday of someone else who played on the wing for Stranraer. Nathan Shepherd spent a single season at Stranraer in 2011/12 and scored one goal. That proved the only goal of the game against Elgin City, who featured future Scotland international Zander Clark in goals. Shepherd, who joined from Greenock Morton, would move on to East Stirlingshire before moving to the other side of the world. He has since played for Queensland Lions in Australia.
- Stirling Albion have scored in each of their last five visits to Stair Park. The last time they failed to do so was in January 2015 when a Frank McKeown header proved decisive. The visitors that day featured future Stranraer defender Lee Hamilton and midfielder Angus Beith, who is now part of the Hearts interim management team.
- There have been 39 meetings between the two sides since the turn of the millennium. Only one has finished goalless and that came at Stair Park on September 18, 2004. The home side that day was: McCondichie, Wingate (Gaughan 20), Wright, Fraser (McCutcheon 74), Swift, Henderson, Sharp, Jenkins, Aitken (McPhee 61), Finlayson, Graham. Not used: Turnbull and McAuley.
Merchandise
If you’re thinking of starting your Christmas shopping, visit the hut outside the main McLeans Taxis Stand to browse our range of club merchandise, including away jerseys, training tops and more.
Following record sales, we are expecting new stock of our new 2024/25 Mizuno home jersey to arrive in the coming weeks, along with some new items.
All three tops are also available to order from our online shop, with back orders available for any out of stock sizes.
Cash and card payments are accepted, and we have a range of sizes available, along with brand new away strips, training tops and more from 1.30pm.
Parking
There is parking space throughout the grassy areas of Stair Park, and you should find a spot within the grounds.
As always, check for any roadworks delays, please allow plenty of time for your journey and travel safely.
Admission
Admission in the Eco Gen Stadium at Stair Park is ‘pay at the gate’ only. Season tickets are valid for this weekend’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
Pavilion Bar
Drop into the Pavilion Bar outside the away turnstile from 1pm for a pre-match refreshment.
Home, away and neutral supporters are warmly welcomed, and the bar accepts both cash and card.
Or, stop into the Stranraer FC Fitba’ Bar on North Strand Street in the town centre, which is also open to all.
Coverage
After returning from a testing trip to Forfar, commentary duo Laurence Nelson and Brian Martin lead the line for the Blues’ media team on home turf this weekend.
Our post match manager’s interview will be available on YouTube following the game, and extended highlights will follow on Sunday morning.
Club 1870 subscribers can catch an exclusive post-match player interview and watch the goals from 10pm on Saturday evening, along with full match footage later on Sunday.
For those further afield, you can follow live matchday updates on X (formerly Twitter) throughout the afternoon.
Photos: Bill McCandlish
