Play-offs in sight for Gary Naysmith after Edinburgh City's 1-0 win at Stranraer

Liam Brown scored the only goal at Stair Park in the sixth minute when the midfielder was quickest to react to head home after Josh Campbell’s initial effort had come back off the crossbar.

The hosts upped the tempo after the break and goalkeeper Calum Antell’s fingertip stop denied Tom Devitt what looked a certain equaliser.

But the Citizens held firm to register their fifth win since Naysmith’s appointment last month and move up to second spot in the table.

“We want to win every game but that doesn’t happen so I’m delighted to have taken 16 points from a possible 18,” Naysmith said. “Our aim was to get into the top four and we’re there at the moment. If there’s no split, although I fully expect there to be, we’re one win away from confirming a play-off spot so we’ve got ourselves into a right good position. We’ve opened up a bit of a gap on fifth place.

“I thought we started the first half really well, came out of the traps flying and we deservedly went ahead. We would have liked another goal as 1-0 is always a precarious lead to hold on to. They really went for it and that forced us on to the backfoot with their direct play in the second half.

“I had to make a couple of changes tactically but the players picked that up. I am also delighted for Calum [Antell] to get his first clean sheet since I arrived at the club. Based on our first-half performance I think we deserved the three points but we now must focus on Brechin on Tuesday night.”

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Stranraer: Fleming, Cummins (Paton 71), Devitt, Robertson, Burns, Victoria (Duffy 62), Millar (Hilton 70), Gallagher, Stirling (McManus 70), Orr, Yates (Elliott 62). Subs: Sonkur, Walker, Taylor.

Edinburgh City: Antell, Thomson, Tapping, Hamilton, Crane, Jardine (De Vita 85), Brown (Laird 79), Black, McIntyre, Campbell (Handling 90), See. Subs: Beveridge, Dishington, Newman, Goodfellow.

Referee: Mike Roncone.

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