Stranraer 3-1 Queen’s Park: Winter joy for Blues

SEAN Winter was the home hero with a double as Stranraer gained a two-goal advantage for Saturday’s Second Division play-off semi-final second leg at Hampden Park.

However Blues manager Keith Knox must be wondering how his side didn’t have the tie wrapped up by half-time. They dominated and should have ensured the weekend’s clash was merely a formality.

Stranraer got their noses in front in the 17th minute when Craig Malcolm teed up Winter to fire home the opener with a low drive. Stranraer doubled their lead five minutes later when Queen’s failed to deal with a Martin Grehan effort and Malcolm swept home the rebound.

And the Blues should have been out of sight by the interval especially when Malcolm had a 39th-minute effort scrambled off the line by Ricky Little.

That clearance proved to be pivotal when Tony Quinn bundled home an Iain Watt corner three minutes into the second half to haul the visitors right back in the contest.

That put Stranraer into attack mode and two brilliant saves from Neil Parry denied Malcolm a certain hat-trick. But the home side kept battling away and got their reward when Winter slammed home a Grehan cross in the 68th minute to restore their two goal advantage.

Stranraer: D Mitchell, Taggart, McGregor, cKeown, Noble, M Winter, Stirling, C Aitken,Borris (Gallagher 46), Malcolm, Grehan (Moore 70). Subs Not Used: Marshall, Belkouche, S McColm.

Queen’s Park: Parry, McGinn, Brough, Little, Meggatt, Capuano, Watt (Smith 75), Gallagher, Longworth, Quinn, Sean Burns (Ronald 46), Ronald (Daly 88). Subs Not Used: Bradley,Strain.

Referee: B Madden. Attendance: 481