Stranraer 3, East Kilbride 1 (agg 5-3): Blues break Kilby hearts

East Kilbride's bid to overtake Stranraer into League Two came crashing all around them as two late strikes in extra-time saw the Blues win 3-1 and 5-3 on aggregate.

Kilby will be left licking their wounds as they tried to make it third time lucky via the Pyramid play-offs.

The sides were locked on 1-1 on the day and 3-3 on aggregate after extra-time.

But Craig Ross and Aiden Gilmartin struck towards the end of extra-time.

And it got worse for Kilby with Lewis Spence sent off amid a melee on the pitch in the dying moments.

Stranraer captain Grant Gallagher put his side ahead just before the interval with a strike into the top corner from just outside the box.

Kilby sub Keir Samson levelled in 75 minutes, despite Stranraer having dominated the second half up until that point.

The first half was pretty even, with both sides testing for weaknesses early on.

Dean Hawkshaw put a cross over the face of goal, before Nathan Flanagan dragged his shot wide of goal at the other end.

Joao Balde had a 'goal' disallowed for offside, before Hawkshaw fired over from a good position following good work by Finn Ecrepont.

Stranraer took the lead through Gallagher, and he nearly doubled his and their lead moments later, but blasted his shot over after Sean McIntosh's header was cleared off the line.

Finn Ecrepont, Deryn Lang and Sean McIntosh all went close for Stranraer in the second half, but EK levelled in 75 minutes through Keir Samson.

Stranraer boss Scott Agnew made two changes from the side that drew 2-2 last week at East Kilbride, with Ben Armour and Matty Grant in for Kyle Fleming and Tom Orr.

East Kilbride gaffer Mick Kennedy also made two changes to his line-up that he hoped would be history-makers, with Nathan Flanagan and Liam Brown in for Calvin McGrory and Andy Stirling.

Stranraer had an early show of their menace when Dean Hawkshaw's ball across the face of goal was just out of reach of Armour and James Dolan in four minutes.

Kilby struck back three minutes later when good work from Dylan MacDonald, Robert Thomson and Brown set up Flanagan, but he dragged his shot wide.

The visitors had the ball in the net in 17 minutes, but Joao Balde was flagged offside as his overhead kick flew into the net.

There was controversy in the East Kilbride box two minutes later as Stranraer's claims for a penalty for a handball were turned down.

Stranraer sub Deryn Lang had a shot saved by Chris Truesdale in 29 minutes.

The hosts created the best chance of the game so far in 39 minutes when Finn Ecrepont's back-heel played Lang down the line and his cutback found Hawkshaw, who blazed over from six yards.

But Gallagher put Stranraer ahead just before the interval with a long-range strike.

Stranraer nearly doubled their lead shortly after when a corner into the box was met by Sean McIntosh with a diving header that was cleared off the line, with Gallagher blasting the rebound over the bar.

Ecrepont nearly scored an audacious second goal moments into the second half when his attempted cross flew over Truesdale but landed on the roof of the net.

Stranraer tried again in 53 minutes when Ecrepont sent Hawkshaw down the wing and his cutback was fired over by Lang.

The Blue were on form and in 65 minutes went close again when Hawkshaw and Grant combined to set up sub Tam Orr, but his shot was well blocked.

McIntosh then fired over the bar three minutes later as Stranraer looked to kill the tie.

Orr zipped a shot past the post in 70 minutes, following good play by Grant and McIntosh.

Somewhat against the run of play, East Kilbride levelled in 75 minutes, when Samson netted following good set-up play by John Robertson.

Kilby could then have taken the lead, but Balde missed a sitter from close range in 83 minutes.

So into extra-time we went, and East Kilbride created the first chance five minutes in, when Flanagan was sent through on goal and picked out Balde, but brilliant recovery play saw Chris McQueen clear.

Lewis Budinauckas then kept Stranraer in the game, denying Robert Thomson as he was sent through on goal by Flanagan.

Truesdale then made good saves from Aiden Gilmartin, before Dylan Forrest blasted a shot wide of target.

The Kilby keeper then did well to smother an effort from Lang in 104 minutes.

At the other end, sub Kai Montagu fired over the bar.

Dylan MacDonald was next to see an effort brilliantly punched over by Budinauckas, seven minutes into the second period.

Balde then fired wide, following good play by Flanagan.

But Stranraer won the game in 117 minutes when Cammy Williamson's corner was headed in by Ross.

And two minutes later Gilmartin fired Stranraer into an unassailable 3-1 lead.

STRANRAER: Budinauckas, Grant (Gilmartin, 73), Ross, McQueen, Ecrepont (Williamson, 95), McIntosh, Gallagher, Dolan (Lang, 14), Hawkshaw (Edgar, 95), Forrest, Armour (Orr, 52).

Subs (not used): Downie (GK), Girvan, Fleming.

Booked: Hawkshaw (86), Ross (92)

EAST KILBRIDE: Truesdale, Ferguson, Lockie (Samson, 67), Fagan (McDonald, 67), Balde, Flanagan, Brown (Montagu, 55), MacDonald, Robertson, Thomson, Spence.

Subs (not used): Avci (GK), Daramola, McGrory, Biggar, Stirling, Arnott.

Booked: Robertson (59), Balde (90+3)

Referee: Craig Napier

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