Goals from Jamie Dishington and Cammy Russell secured three points on the road for The Spartans against a Stranraer side reduced to 10 men after half an hour at Stair Park.
Manager Douglas Samuel reverted to the starting XI that defeated Annan Athletic with Marc McNulty returning to the side and taking up a berth on the bench.
Stranraer went into the game seeking their first win of the league campaign, having a solitary point on the board for their efforts so far.
Under a heavy dark sky of forecasted rain, the game got underway with hosts looking to carve open the first chance of the afternoon but the cross / shot saw the ball fly out of the ground over the stand. Avid viewers would have had to have taken their socks off to keep on counting the number of balls that landed in a variety of Stranraer postcodes across the ninety minutes.
Mark Stowe found himself on the turf after being upended and from the free-kick that followed, Kevin Waugh’s header at the back post required a decent save from Josh Lane to keep the score blank.
Spartans were forced into an early than desired change when Sean Welsh couldn’t shake off an earlier knock and he was replaced by Kieran Watson.
A mile or so down the road from Stair Park saw the Stranraer Oyster Festival taking place. Whilst the seafood delicacy is considered to be an aphrodisiac, there was certainly no love lost between Sean Docherty and Cammy Russell. The Stranraer man getting his first booking for a late challenge on the Spartans playmaker after just ten minutes, before receiving his marching orders on the half hour mark for a second kick at Russell out by the touchline with the ball looking like it was heading out the park to safety.
The tourists looked to capitalise on numerical advantage and also a defensive mix-up however Jamie Dishington could only ruffle the outside of the side netting.
HT: Stranraer 0-0 The Spartans
A change at the interval saw Marc McNulty replace Bradley Whyte.
The Spartans returnee substitute was the intended recipient of a Callum Booth cross early in the second half however Lewis Reid fell holding his heid to win a free-kick after McNulty’s boot went within local distance of the defender’s napper.
An hour had been played and remarkably, neither goals or rain had made an appearance at Stair Park.
It took the width of the crossbar to ensure that remained the way when Callum Booth’s cross found Cammy Russell. The attempted flick forcing the ball to ricochet off Ayrton Sonkur and onto the woodwork before being nodded behind.
A double swap with just over a quarter of an hour left saw Mackie Scott and Ethan Drysdale introduced, with Tapping & Booth taking up the spaces left on the tight visitor’s bench.
It was almost a wonder introduction to the game for Academy Graduate Scott when he was released into box however a timely tackle denied the sub from scoring the opener.
James Craigen then sent a corner into the congested penalty area only to be flapped away by Lane. It landed perfectly for Jamie Dishington hovering around the edge of the box and his low drive worked its way through the sea of bodies to land in the back of the onion bag.
A final change saw Bailey Dall replace Mark Stowe with ten minutes to play.
With the legs getting weary amongst those in blue, Spartans secured the points in some style. Marc McNulty collected the ball inside the box before going for a wee run the other direction. However, there was method in the McNulty madness as he passed to Cammy Russell on the edge of the ‘D’ who tucked away an unstoppable effort into the bottom corner.
FT: Stranraer 0-2 The Spartans
Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Kevin Waugh
