Stranraer V Ross County at Stair Park - Match Preview




Aitken back after ban

Stranraer welcome back midfielder Chris Aitken after suspension against a Ross County side that are making an over 500-mile round trip to Stair Park.


Manager Stephen Aitken is enjoying his side's role as underdogs as he explained: "There is no pressure on us as we are facing a side who established themselves well in the top flight last season and who won handsomely at the weekend.


"We played well ourselves on Saturday against an Ayr side who have been going great and all I can ask the boys to do is to put in that same level of performance.


"If we do that we may cause County some problems."


Ross County midfielder Stuart Kettlewell will fully brief their summer signings on what lies in store for them at Stranraer as he looks to build on a first win of the season.


Kettlewell scored in County's 3-0 Scottish Premiership win over St Mirren on Saturday to set them up for their League Cup second-round clash.


And the 29-year-old is sure County's Dutch imports Darren Maatsen, Marc Klok, Melvin De Leeuw and Kevin Luckassen know what to expect when they reach the end of their six-hour road trip.


"We'll give them all the respect, we know they're a lower league side," Kettlewell said. "I know a few of their players and know they have some quality.


"It's obviously a bit of a journey for us but we can travel down there knowing we have our first three league points on the board and that has given us confidence to push on.


"We want to win every game we play in and I'd love to go on a cup run and take the result against St Mirren to help us on the way.


"St Mirren was our main focus on Saturday but we'll now look at Stranraer now. It's some journey and we'll let all the lads who haven't experienced it before know all about it.


"It's going to be a tough game, they've got a good side and experience of the lower leagues so they'll know how to handle it.


"We'll have to come out fighting and I'm sure the foreign boys who don't know much about Stranraer will step up to the plate."





Source: PA

Source: PA