Ross County made sure lightning did not strike twice in Stranraer, but not without a fright or two along the way.
The Staggies suffered a 3-2 defeat at Stair Park against the Blues in the same second round stage of last season’s competition, and fell behind in the opening stages of this encounter to Sean Winter’s early goal.
However, Melvin de Leeuw and Liam Boyce staked their respective claims for more regular involvement with the goals that turned it around for the Staggies, however that did not stop a determined Stranraer side nearly forcing extra-time with a late flurry of chances.
Of the side that started the game twelve months ago just Graham Carey, Richard Brittain, Mark Brown and Rocco Quinn remain at Victoria Park, and all but the latter were in from the start again last night meaning a recall for goalkeeper Brown in place of Antonio Reguero.
Meanwhile manager Derek Adams also brought in de Leeuw in place of Yoann Arquin from the side that lost 2-1 to Dundee United on Saturday, with the Dutchman proving to be a key figure in an exciting cup-tie.
Stranraer were aiming to build upon a spirited second-half showing against Brechin City on Saturday, in which they came back from two goals down to draw 2-2.
Just three minutes into the action the ghost of last season’s giant-killing looked to have returned for a second bite at the Staggies, with the home side taking the lead with the first shot of the match.
Stranraer worked the ball into the visitors’ box, with Stephen Stirling forcing the ball into the path of Sean Winter who angled a delightful lobbed shot into the far corner from a wide-right position 20 yards from goal.
Sensing the need to respond quickly, County looked to get on the ball and create pressure, with Graham Carey’s corner inadvertently forcing goalkeeper David Mitchell to tip over.
With 14 minutes played however, the Staggies levelled when Jordi Balk flighted a long ball into the box, with de Leeuw winning the break of the ball off Mitchell before it fell perfectly for the Dutchman to mark his first start of the season with an overhead kick past the stranded keeper.
The home side maintained a strong danger going forward, and more hesitant defending by the Dingwall side allowed former Aberdeen defender Scott Rumbsy a shooting chance but he blazed narrowly over.
County began to show flashes of confidence in possession however, and a neat exchange between de Leeuw and Jake Jervis presented the latter with a sight at goal, but from 20 yards he struck straight at Mitchell.
Following his earlier assist, Balk was again the architect of an excellent close-range headed chance for Filip Kiss on 35 minutes, but the Slovakian nodded over.
County had goalkeeper Brown to thank when an innocuous low cross from the left was left by Frempah, before unexpectedly rebounding off Uros Celcer and towards the top corner of his own net, however the veteran stopper showed wonderful reflexes to claw over.
Carey then went on a marauding run down the left before unleashing a fizzing low shot across goal, that evaded the far post by inches.
Like in the first-half, the hosts took the early initiative following the interval, and should have regained the lead on 53 minutes when Craig Malcolm headed over the bar unchallenged from Chris Aitken’s free-kick.
County manager Adams rotated his attack by replacing Jervis with Liam Boyce on 56 minutes, as County looked to the Northern Irishman to provide the goal they so badly needed.
And within 11 minutes he stepped up the mark. Boyce began an excellent move with a flick to Kiss who threaded in Joe Cardle, and after his shot and Carey’s follow up were beaten away by Mitchell, Boyce was on hand to tap home at the third attempt from close-range.
County had a let-off on 75 minutes when Brown flapped a home corner towards his own goal, with Balk forced to clear hurriedly off the line.
Brown was forced to make one last-ditch save from Winter’s long-range piledriver, before the resulting corner came back down off the County crossbar, however the Staggies held on to make the long journey north in far better sprits than last year.