A solitary goal from skipper Frank McKeown against the run of play was the difference in the game which saw the Pars put in a good performance but which was once again lacking that clinical finishing touch.

The Pars started brightly and a late barge on Josh Falkingham saw an early free-kick on the right-hand side. Stranraer keeper David Mitchell failed to claim Ross Millen's ball into the box, instead taking out his own man Steven Bell. Bell stayed down, forcing referee Calum Murray to call a halt to play, to the frustration of the home support.

Both sides saw plenty of the ball in the opening stages, with the players keen to move the ball around and get forward, but neither keeper found themselves particularly troubled until just before the half hour mark, where Ryan Scully pulled off a fantastic one-handed save to deny Chris Aitken's drilled in free-kick on from the edge of the box.

Minutes later, it was the visitors' keeper Mitchell who was called into action and he made a great save with his feet to deny a shot from Michael Moffat, who must have been sure that his effort was destined for the back of the net.

Towards half-time tempers flared during a clash between Falkingham and Bell, with players from both sides getting involved in a scuffle. Referee Calum Murray managed to keep a lid on the situation and avoided producing any red cards, but booked Bell for his part and then team-mate Longridge for dissent.

The half-time whistle sounded with the score still 0-0, with both sides having had chances and the Pars edging the play with their determination to get forward, and the second half started much the same, with Moffat getting a chance early on which he put just wide.

Falkingham had a great chance after 52 minutes when he slid in on a ball across goal, but he couldn't quite reach it. Two minutes later he had another fantastic opportunitu when Mitchell failed to hold the ball it it dropped to the Pars man, but his close-range effort was blocked.

The home side seemed to take confidence from these chances and they began to pile more and more pressure on the visitors, looking for the breakthrough.

It was against the run of play that Stranraer then took the lead, as the Pars defence failed to clear the ball out of the box and despite Scully's efforts to block the first shot, McKeown latched on and put the rebound away in the 59th minute..

The Pars weren't giving up, however, and Falkingham had another great chance just after the hour mark but his powerful shot from inside the box was well-saved by Mitchell who, despite some fumbling at crosses and set pieces, had kept his side in the game again.

Allan Smith came on to replace Lewis Spence as Potter urged his side on to look for the equaliser, but the play grew scrappier in the search for a breakthrough.

The home side's joy at what seemed like an equaliser through Moffat was quickly turned to disappointment with the signal of the offside flag, and the returning Ryan Wallace's thundering shot in the 90th minute which was tipped over was the home side's final real chance of the game.

In the end there was nothing to show for the Pars' efforts in Potter's first game in charge as Stranraer held on to collect all three points.

Pars: Scully, Millen, Whittle, Martin, Buchanan, Geggan, Byrne, Spence, Moffat, Falkingham, Thomson Subs: Goodfellow, Smith, Urquhart, Forbes, Wallace, Ugwu, Chemin Stranraer: Mitchell, Pettigrew, Longridge, Ramsby, McKeown, Aitken, Gallagher, Bell, Malcolm, Longworth, Winter Subs: Tobin, Stoney, Russell, Marenghi, Forde Referee: Calum Murray Attendance: 2572