Scorer: Watson (64)
A second half strike from Keith Watson gave Annan Athletic all three points after Stranraer had dominated the first half.
The Blues came into the game looking to build on the victory over Dumbarton last time out.
Manager Chris Aitken made two changes from that win as Sean Docherty and Deryn Lang came into the team in place of Matthew Gillies and Ryan Edgar.
The main talking point before the game was how Storm Amy would impact on the play and, sure enough, she had a sizeable part to play.
With the wind behind them, Stranraer spent the vast majority of the opening 45 minutes in the Annan half but, unfortunately, could not find a way through.
The first chance would come for the hosts after the visitors failed to really deal with Docherty’s cross into the box.
It fell kindly to Danny McManus and his volley looked goalbound before Gio Clarke pulled off a stunning save.
Moments later and the home side had the beating of the goalkeeper.
Mark Russell’s corner was met by a glancing header from Lewis Reid but the defender’s wait for a goal goes on after it clipped the crossbar.
Another Russell set piece caused problems for Annan when Kirk McKnight first saw a header blocked and then his follow up was cleared off the line.
The failure to take any of those chances and with Annan now playing with the wind behind them meant it would likely be a totally different game after the break.
Sure enough, Tommy Muir and Myles Gaffney both had shots for Annan early in the second half.
Goalkeeper Josh Lane was called into action moments later when his goal kick got caught in the wind and Annan pounced.
Gaffney managed to turn his marker on the edge of the box and his low shot looked destined for the bottom corner before Lane got a hand to it and then smothered the loose ball.
In the end, the only goal of the game would come just after the hour mark.
Lane failed to deal with Ryan Muir’s corner and veteran defender Watson was lurking in the six-yard box to smash home.
Stranraer battled to get back into the game and, again, were denied by the woodwork.
James Dolan, matchwinner last week, collected a loose ball near the centre circle and powered down the left wing.
His cross in caught out Clarke but bounced off the crossbar and Annan held on.
Stranraer would waste other chances in the closing stages but never truly tested Clarke as the visitors took three welcome points.
Stranraer: Lane, Reid, Rough, Docherty (Stuart 31), Coll, McKnight, Russell (Turay 65), McManus (Quigg 76), Hunter (Plank 76), Dolan, Lang (O’Donnell 65).
Not used: Ecrepont, Gillies, Edgar and Henderson.
Annan Athletic: Clarke, Hooper, Kilsby, Watson (Bell 89), Todd, A Smith, R Muir, P Smith (Kalala 44 (Dixon 82)), Maxwell, T Muir, Gaffney.
Not used: Deveney and Fleming.
Referee: Peter Stuart
Attendance: 413
HT: 0-0
Photo: Bill McCandlish
