VENUE #74 STRANRAER Stair Park

Airdrieonians Left Deflated 

LADBROKES LEAGUE ONE

2nd April 2016

@ Stair Park, Stranraer

Ground Capacity:- 5,600

Kick Off:- 15:00

Entry Fee:-  £13

Programme:-  £2

Venue #74

     Arrived in Stranraer on Friday afternoon with the sky nearly black, swirling winds and rain teaming from the sky and temperatures more fitting for the middle of winter.  I'm staying at the Neptune's Nest bedsit which overlooks the sea if you've got a front facing room which I haven't and although I'm on the top floor the room is nice, basic but clean with a great shower which warmed me up after my encounter with the Scottish weather.

     After finding a fish bar and filling my stomach things didn't seem so bad although I do fear for the game not going ahead if the bad weather continues, I hope to God it's does for the journey up here took seven hours with the return yet to come and I would hate it if it was all for nothing never mind the expense as well.

     I've seen Stranraer in the flesh twice now without seeing them win or draw and I've also witnessed some heavy defeats for the Blues on the TV against Celtic and Rangers.  They started this season in poor form but have picked up some encouraging results in recent months and now find themselves in fourth place in the table pushing to confirm a play off place which looked impossible before Christmas as they looked certain contenders for relegation.  Airdrieonians hold fifth spot and are also trying to maintain a play off place and so this game is finely poised to be a thriller with both teams needing to win, Stranraer will not be hoping for a repeat of this fixture in December when Airdrie ran out 3-1 winners.

     What a fantastic game of football the best witnessed by myself all season, some may say "a one sided", but no matter the Blues of Stranraer needed to win and they did so with aplomb.  Bit of a nervy start especially in defence a couple of dodgie back passes saw the Stranraer keeper Cameron Belford having to show his tackling and defensive ball play skills to deny Airdrie taking a early lead.  Defender Craig Pettigrew was showing poor form at times it looked as though he had been pulled out of the crowd to make the team up but to be fair he did improve a little later in the game.

  

     In the eleventh minute nerves were quelled a little when a cross from the left by the man of the match Andy Stirling was met by the head of Craig Malcolm at the near post to put Stranraer 1-0 in front.
     Twenty minutes later and it was 2-0 when a free kick twenty five yards out was struck by Willie Gibson and screamed into Airdrie keeper Neil Parry's top far side corner of the net.  Blues held this shoreline comfortably until the half time whistle.




    As predicted the black and red striped Airdrieonians came out fighting in the second half and looked like getting back into the game forcing a string of corners early on but never really troubled the Stranraer defence who looked comfortable and able to ride out the Airdrie onslaught.  Referee Gavin Duncan made a strange decision booking Stranraer goalkeeper Belford for time wasting when the keeper had only  received the ball seconds before hand.
     The game was finally sealed in the 78th minute when a right footed shot from Andy Stirling from the centre of the Airdrie penalty area went through a string of players and the keeper to find the right hand bottom corner of the net.

     The icing on the cake came just two minutes from the end of normal play when again an assist from Andy Stirling was struck left footed by substitute Kyle Turner and whistled into the top right hand corner of the Airdrie net.  And so 4-0 it finished and the team in blue were given a standing ovation as they left the field of play and quite rightly so.

   





     Stair park is about a 10-15 minute walk from the railway station and is situated inside a publicpark of the same name as the ground.  The Blues have been playing inside the park venue for a total of 109 years although there have been modifications since 1907 as you would expect.  In 1995 a new main stand was built at one side of the pitch called the south stand, this construction covers about half of the pitch side but straddles the half way line.  The South stand cost £500,000 to build and is a fully covered all seated area although there is standing areas to each side of the stand.  At the back of the stand are the most amazing views of area leading up to
the sea.  The only toilet I came across in this stand was a single disabled unit which is supposed to serve up to 2,000 people when full to the maximum?  Although there was an enclosed area at the back of the stand which may have contained urinals of a more efficient standard.  I queued for a drink and a bite to eat at the beginning of half time and got half way toward the counter when play resumed so I can't comment on the standard of fare provided but I will say they need to quicken things up a little I mean, there were only around 300 people in this area of the ground and only around 25 in the queue this has got to be the slowest                                                           service I've encountered yet.

     Across the pitch is the Cooshed-North-stand, I don't know if it once contained cows or pigeonsand that's how it got it's name but it's a slightly smaller stand than the main in width and a lot smaller in depth with open terracing to the sides and front.  This stand contains wooden benches to the rear and also has supporting roof pillars that can restrict viewing.  Although segregation is not usually required away fans tend to set up in the Cooshed stand so as to make their selves heard more clearly.

     The Town end situated to the left of the main stand as you look at the pitch is a covered terrace while at the other end of the ground is the approach end which is uncovered terracing with grass, trees and bushes at the rear also mainly used by away fans. 

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