Scorer: Sutherland (61)
Stranraer’s bid for a top-four finish suffered a blow as Forfar Athletic moved into the driver’s seat in the race for the play-offs.
Chris Aitken’s men enjoyed plenty of the ball at the LIME Stadium at Stair Park but were made to pay when Jake Sutherland headed home shortly after the hour mark.
The two teams came into the game locked together, with just a single goal separating them in the table.
Therefore, it came as no surprise that it proved a hard-fought, tight contest decided by just one goal.
The home boss made one change from the team that had enjoyed victory over Spartans seven days ago.
Jordan Stuart came into the team in place of Lewis Hunter, who moved to the bench.
Stranraer started on the front foot and had the game’s first chance with just three minutes on the clock when Deryn Lang was fouled.
Aaron Quigg’s free-kick from 20 yards was well struck but flew just the wrong side of the post.
Stranraer’s best chance of the first half came on 26 minutes when they called Marc McCallum into action.
Danny McManus played the corner in and top scorer Lang rose highest.
His header was on target but Sallu Turay managed to divert the ball and McCallum pulled off an exceptional save.
Turay rose highest for the loose ball but could then only direct the header onto the inside of the post as Forfar held on.
For all Stranraer’s positive play in the first half, it could have been the visitors leading at the break.
Sutherland did well to get beyond the defence and he played a tempting ball along the six-yard box.
Scott Shepherd threw himself at it but could not get the desired contact and collided with Lyndon Tas.
Increasingly, it looked as if one goal would settle the tie and that came just after the hour mark.
The influential Craig Slater got into the Stranraer box and chipped the ball up for the unmarked Sutherland, who headed back across goal and beyond a helpless Tas.
Forfar could have extended their advantage eight minutes later, with Slater again involved.
He was given far too much time on the edge of the box but found his shot blocked by Lewis Reid before Sutherland put the rebound wide.
Stranraer were still enjoying plenty of the ball but struggling to create anything like a clear-cut chance.
Their best effort would fall to Lang, whose header from James Dolan’s corner looked destined for the net.
However, Blair Alston was in the right place at the right time to make the block and Quigg’s follow up header was also blocked on its way to goal.
Forfar held on for three important points and now the race for fourth is out of Stranraer’s hands.
They welcome Stirling Albion to the LIME Stadium at Stair Park next weekend, aiming for three points and to capitalise on any slip-ups elsewhere.
Stranraer: Tas, Coll (Ecrepont 79), Reid, McGrath, Dunne, Stuart (Hughes 73), Quigg, McManus (Hunter 73), Gillies (Edgar 73), Turay (Dolan 58), Lang.
Not used: Docherty, McKnight, Lynch and Henderson.
Forfar Athletic: McCallum, Bright, Morrison, Allan (Dolzanski 74), Lynas, Slater, Alston, Mailer, Shepherd (Rennie 90), Sutherland, Wilson (Haddow 46).
Not used: Lemon, MacLean, Pasnik, Richardson, Strachan and Vitols.
Referee: Jamie Wilkie
Attendance: 509
HT: 0-0
Photos: Bill McCandlish