Spartans: 46 league matches in the bank, 10 from this season and the rest from last season. Stranraer: 46 league matches in the bank, 10 from this season and the rest from last season.
The question this step asks
Step three is GOALS, AND WHEN THEY COME. Not just how many each side scores and lets in, but the minute bands they come in, who lands the first blow, what each side does after falling behind, and who finds goals late. A side that concedes early and scores late reads very differently from one that does the opposite, at the same goal difference.
Side by side: Spartans scores most in the 76-90+ band (23 of 82); Spartans concedes most in the 46-60 band (12 of 57); Stranraer scores most in the 31-45+ band (16 of 67); Stranraer concedes most in the 31-45+ band (18 of 55). Who lands the first blow and who lands the last is the question this step exists to ask.
The two sides
Spartans -- at home
Goals a game
Scores 1.8 and concedes 1.2 a game over its last 46 league matches; at home, 1.5 for and 1.2 against over 23.
When it scores
Of 82 scored across its own 46 matches with times recorded: 1-15: 5; 16-30: 8; 31-45+: 18; 46-60: 13; 61-75: 15; 76-90+: 23. Its heaviest scoring spell is after the 75th minute -- 23 of 82 (28%).
When it concedes
Of 57 conceded across its own 46 matches with times recorded: 1-15: 8; 16-30: 10; 31-45+: 10; 46-60: 12; 61-75: 10; 76-90+: 7.
The first goal
Scored first in 24 of its 46 read -- then won 17, drew 7, lost 0; conceded first in 21 -- pulled back 5 wins and 5 draws from them. Across every match where it trailed at some stage it recovered 21 points.
Two-goal swings
Led by two goals at some point in 17 of its 46 read, winning 16 of them; trailed by two in 10, rescuing 3 results; was ahead at some point without winning in 8.
Stranraer -- away
Goals a game
Scores 1.5 and concedes 1.2 a game over its last 46 league matches; away, 1.8 for and 1.3 against over 23.
When it scores
Of 67 scored across its own 46 matches with times recorded: 1-15: 9; 16-30: 11; 31-45+: 16; 46-60: 12; 61-75: 9; 76-90+: 10.
When it concedes
Of 55 conceded across its own 46 matches with times recorded: 1-15: 6; 16-30: 2; 31-45+: 18; 46-60: 8; 61-75: 9; 76-90+: 12.
The first goal
Scored first in 24 of its 46 read -- then won 15, drew 5, lost 4; conceded first in 19 -- pulled back 2 wins and 6 draws from them. Across every match where it trailed at some stage it recovered 12 points.
Two-goal swings
Led by two goals at some point in 11 of its 46 read, winning 10 of them; trailed by two in 7, rescuing nothing; was ahead at some point without winning in 9.
Built 03:22 from matches completed before
kick-off. Every figure is an observed count with its denominator —
not a forecast, and nothing here is a tip or a selection.