Scorers: Stranraer – Lang (8 and 23) and Rough (33); Stirling Albion – McLean (10) and Brown (89)
Impressive Stranraer continued their fine run of form with a double from Deryn Lang helping them to victory over Stirling Albion.
The Blues found the target three times in the first 33 minutes and could have added to their tally over the course of the 90 minutes.
The home side made one change from the victory over Clydebank in the Scottish Cup as Daniel McManus replaced Mark Russell in the starting line-up.
Missing from the squad were Ryan Edgar, who was struggling with an injury, while Chris Aitken was missing from the dugout due to work commitments.
Despite Stranraer’s impressive showing, they could have found themselves a goal down in the opening minute.
Adam Brown’s cross into the box was met by Russell McLean and his looping header clipped the top of the crossbar and bounced to safety.
However, the home side responded well.
Evan Dunne’s dangerous ball across the goal was just out of the reach of Lang and James Dolan called goalkeeper Robert Duffy into action before Stranraer found the breakthrough.
Dominic Plank found Lang on the edge of the box and the striker turned and blasted beyond the goalkeeper.
The lead lasted just a matter of seconds.
Stirling immediately forced two corners and it was the second set piece that was met by McLean, who headed home.
Again, though, Stranraer responded in impressive fashion.
Dolan chased down a Duffy clearance and found Lang, who was denied by the goalkeeper before Plank thumped the follow up off the crossbar.
The goal came five minutes later when a ball to the back post was headed back across goal by Aaron Quigg.
Lang was lurking and got the final touch to bundle over from close range.
A third goal soon followed as Scot Rough rose highest to head home from almost under the crossbar after Finn Ecrepont’s free-kick.
Duffy kept out a deflected Lang strike while Plank and Dolan both came close before the half time whistle.
It was more of the same in the early stages of the second half as Duffy again denied Lang his hat-trick before Quigg saw his follow up kept out as well.
Stranraer were well on top but there was that slight fear that they would be punished for not extending their advantage.
Lang would hit the post from a McManus cross while Quigg was then denied by the crossbar as Stranraer continued to hold the upper hand.
Stirling were throwing men forward in a bid to salvage something from the game and goalkeeper Josh Lane was called into action on a handful of occasions.
And the visitors ensured there would be a relatively nervy finish when Brown’s corner outfoxed everyone and dropped in at the back post.
There would not be time for an equaliser and instead Stranraer toasted an impressive victory, which could have been by a greater margin.
Stranraer: Lane, Ecrepont, Reid, Rough, Dunne (Docherty 74), Stuart (McKnight 90), Plank (Russell 74), Quigg (Hughes 90), McManus (Hunter 80), Dolan, Lang.
Not used: Coll, Sharp and Henderson.
Stirling Albion: Duffy, Crane, Banner, Hamilton (Kerr 31), Hutchinson, Carse, McNab (K Thomson 80), Brown, Cunningham (Knox 56), C Thomson (Shanley 46), McLean.
Not used: Campbell, Cannon, Featherstone, Hodgkiss and Gaston.
Referee: Daniel Graves
Attendance: 373
HT: 3-1
