Oli Anderson previews today’s match against Stranraer
Following a challenging test last week, against championship outfit Dunfermline Athletic, the Fifers must dust themselves down and prepare for a tough game against our next opponents, Stranraer at Stair Park. We held the Pars for the first 45 minutes, though a fast start from Dunfermline saw two goals in quick succession, leading to the Fifers coming up just short. Our opponents today are Stranraer, who are coming off the back of a thumping 5-1 defeat at the hands of Annan Athletic.
A Message from the Management Team
Prior to kick off, Assistant Manager Ian ‘Pink’ Campbell explained how the team were looking forward to another stiff test this week, though East Fife will look to go out and play their own game.
The William Hill League Two Table
| Team | Pld | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peterhead | 5 | 7 | 13 |
| 2 | East Fife | 5 | 9 | 12 |
| 3 | Stirling Albion | 5 | -1 | 9 |
| 4 | Elgin City | 4 | 3 | 8 |
| 5 | Bonnyrigg Rose | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| 6 | The Spartans | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 | Edinburgh City | 5 | -4 | 4 |
| 8 | Clyde | 5 | -6 | 4 |
| 9 | Stranraer | 5 | -4 | 2 |
| 10 | Forfar Athletic | 5 | -5 | 2 |
This Week’s League Fixtures
Clyde vs Edinburgh City
Elgin City vs Bonnyrigg Rose
Peterhead vs Stirling Albion
Stranraer vs East Fife
The Spartans vs Forfar Athletic
The Form
The Fifers
East Fife’s last six games have resulted in five wins and just one defeat.
The defeat came last week, as we were knocked out of the SPFL Trust Trophy by Fife rivals Dunfermline Athletic.
Other than that blip, our form has been stellar. A victory over St Johnstone B in an earlier round of the SPFL Trust Trophy, along with remarkable wins over Clyde, Stirling Albion, Edinburgh City and Forfar Athletic have all contributed in us being current top scoring club in the entire SPFL.
Our Opposition
A difficult run of games for Stranraer sees the Blues sit joint bottom of the league, with just one win in the last six games. Their victory came over Bonnyrigg Rose in the SPFL Trust Trophy second round, before they fell to Annan in the third round last week.
Their league form has not been much better, with three losses and a draw. They picked up points at home to Elgin City, before losing all three of their away days, Bonnyrigg Rose, Peterhead and Clyde.
Previous Encounter
East Fife 2-1 Stranraer, 23rd March 2024
The last time the two sides met, it was a hard-fought victory for the Fifers. A slow start saw Stranraer take the lead, before a rampant second half saw James Lyon grab the equaliser. With just five minutes to play, Jack Healy stepped up and grabbed the winner, with a fantastic effort, to secure victory.
Squad News
Sean Docherty is back at the management team’s disposal today, though captain Stewart Murdoch continues to miss the game through injury.
Match Ticket
Please find prices below for Stair Park today:
Adults- £15
Concessions (Over 65s)- £10
Under 16s- £5
Under 5s- Free!
Admission is via pay-at-the-gate.
Live Stream
For our International Fans, live streaming for today’s game will be available on EFTV, using a Monthly, or Annual Gold Pass. Today’s commentator will be Oli Anderson.
There’s no live streaming option for viewers within the UK/Ireland this weekend.
Club Colours
The Fifers will don the new, MPH Group sponsored home kit. They will wear the famous black and gold striped shirt, with black shorts and socks. The Fife goalkeeper will wear yellow for the tie.
Stranraer will wear their home kit too, with the white and blue shirt, with white socks and blue shorts.
Officials
The referee today will be Andy Gamble, with Ian Hart and Michael Bonner running the lines.
Mon the Fife!