Match Report

Annan Athletic face local derby defeat in a 6-1 loss to Stranraer at Galabank, as Aidan Smith grabs a consolation goal for the hosts.

Annan entered the clash off the back of two losses in their most recent league matches, losing out to Stirling Albion and Forfar, with two cup matches falling in between those games, as they drew to Queen of the South and beat Hibernian B. Stranraer on the other hand sat top of the table and a win could see them retain the top spot as they sat ahead of Clyde on goal difference.

Five changes were made to the Annan starting 11, as Tommy Muir, Kirk McKnight, Paul Smith, Mouhamed Niang and Josh Dixon made their way out the team and Cole Williams, Steven Buchanan, Corey O’Donnell, Ally Roy, and Darryl Carrick replaced them.

Stranraer kicked off for the first half and it was them who looked like scoring early on. A chance arose in the 1st minute when Lewis Dobbie turned inside on the right flank and swung a left footed cross into the box. Youngster Zach Bruce flicked the cross on with a header, however his effort would go narrowly wide of the post.

It was to be a relatively uneventful but lively first 20 minutes, with both teams battling it out. Keith Watson was leading the Annan back line making two crucial blocks to keep the Stranraer attack at bay.

After 27 minutes however, Aaron Healy would open the scoring for Stranraer on what was the start of a long day for the hosts. The ball was switched across the box to Healy, who took the shot on first time, and due to an unfortunate deflection, went into the bottom right corner and made it 1-0 Stranraer.

A few minutes later Annan would attempt to respond quickly when Wullie Gibson took on a long shot outside the box, but his shot would fly over the bar.

Five minutes before the interval Healy would double his tally. After multiple failed attempts from Annan to clear the ball, it would fall to Healy on the edge of the box, who side footed with his left the ball into the top left corner, making it 2-0.

Half Time: Annan Athletic 0 Stranraer 2

The home side would make a quadruple change at half time as Dylan Williams, Niang, Dixon and Muir would replace Buchanan, O’Donnell, Roy and Carrick for the second 45.

On 51 minutes Stranraer have it in the net for a third time through Mark McLuckie, but the big centre half’s goal was ruled offside.

The introduction of Muir into the game looked to have changed momentum of the game with the target man getting stuck in up top, until Stranraer grabbed their third of the game in the 63rd minute. Aaron Quigg swung a ball into the box which was met by the head of the unmarked Archie Traynor to finish into the net.

Things got from bad to worse for Annan when a freekick was put into their box and in the attempts of clearing the cross it would find the Annan net and go down as a Muir own goal as Mason was contesting the ball, 4-0 Stranraer.

On 76 minutes Healy would be involved again slipping through Dean Clelland one on one with Albinson, who fired the ball at the near post and into the net, making it five for the away side.

Just a minute later Aidan Smith nicked a consolation goal for Annan, shooting with his left foot inside the box, going off the inside of the right post and in to give the home fans something to cheer about.

However, Stranraer were not finished there, when right back Evan Dunne drove inside and whipped a ball across the face of goal for Clelland to notch again, making it 6-1 Stranraer and capping off a tough day at the office for Annan.

Full Time: Annan Athletic 1 Stranraer 6

By Owen Clanachan