Second-placed Arbroath effectively ended Stranraer's promotion challenge with a battling 1-0 win at Stair Park.

Substitute John McAulay should have given Arbroath the lead but he lashed a wayward shot over the crossbar.

But the visitors scored the winning goal after 70 minutes when captain George Rowe latched on to a Jim Mercer cross to turn the ball past Stranraer goalkeeper Mark McGeown.

Now six points behind Arbroath and having played one game more, the defeat leaves Billy McLaren's Stranraer side facing a seemingly impossible task if they are to be playing First Division football next season.