Ross County, after an all day trip to fulfil this outstanding fixture, found Stair Park anything but a welcoming place when they went a goal down in the second minute.
Stranraer's Stephen Payne won the first corner of the game, took the flag kick himself and team-mate Michael Moore nipped in to nod a low ball home after visiting keeper Ian McCaldon and defender Jim Lauchlan got into a tangle.
County should have had an equaliser in the 26th minute when a Stranraer defensive slip up allowed Gary McSwegan to run free into the home box but from around 12 yards and completely unmarked McSwegan somehow blasted an easy chance high over.
But the visitors matched Stranraer's good opening with an equally good one of their own after the break, equalising on 49 minutes from a penalty by David Winters after he had been downed in the box by Murray Henderson.
And they went one better than Stranraer eight minutes later when a McSwegan shot came off the inside of the far post and was touched over the line by the alert Sean Higgins.
Ross County were clearly in charge and looked to be boosting their promotion challenge with full points. But with three minutes left Stranraer's Stephen Swift went charging through the middle and set Stair Park alight with a well-taken equaliser.