League Two: Sloppy goals hand Stranraer win over 'second best' East Fife

East Fife suffered a second successive defeat last Saturday afternoon as they lost out 2-1 at Stair Park against managerless Stranraer.

Dick Campbell’s team came into the League Two fixture on the back of a SPFL Trust Trophy exit at the hands of Dunfermline Athletic, but prior to that, the Fifers had notched an impressive six wins on the spin – including five league victories.

But everything that could have gone wrong did for East Fife, who finished the match with ten-men after Hearts loanee Liam McFarlane was sent off late on.

Lapse defending from Liam Newton and Brian Easton afforded Mark Russell the opportunity to curl home a stunning opener on the edge of the area after 24 minutes, and then, despite Alan Trouten grabbing his fifth league goal in just six outings to level the match with twenty minutes remaining – Russell slotted home the winning goal just four minutes after the equaliser after he was left unmarked.

Paul Woods was given the freedom at the back post to head across to Elliot Dunlop, who fed the ball back to his team-mate.

And the Fifers’ misery was compounded when goalkeeper McFarlane was ordered off for controlling the ball with his hand outside his box in what was a moment of madness.

Irate boss Campbell was also sent off for his reaction, with defender Andy Munro playing the final moments between the sticks.

“First half we weren’t particularly great,” coach Stuart Malcolm, on media duties, told East Fife TV. “That was the consensus from us (the coaching team). We didn’t do what we have been doing well in the previous matches beforehand. We weren’t on the front foot.

“Second half we were better overall but we kill ourselves with the second goal – we don’t deal with the header back across and the knockdown. We should have stopped the cross. It was a real sucker-punch and we didn’t really recover from it.

“Stranraer on the day were the better team. We managed to get back into the game and give ourselves a chance. It was one of those days, we would have probably taken a point.”

East Fife now host leaders Peterhead at The MGM Timber Bayview Stadium this Saturday (3pm kick-off) as they look to close the gap at the top to one point.