Forfar defender Michael Kennedy rued the Loons’ capacity to “give away silly goals” as their relegation woes intensified at Stair Park.
Having competed well against in-form Stranraer, they were undone from a Blues corner on the hour mark.
Kennedy, enjoying a run of starts in the side, was on the goal line but unsighted as Craig Pettigrew’s shot came through a ruck of players and, despite getting a foot to the ball, was unable to keep it out.
Stranraer enjoyed most of the attacking threat in the first half, though Loons keeper Darren Hill was never seriously tested.
Instead, it was the visitors who nearly sneaked ahead when Andy Ryan was played through on the left, and he forced Cameron Belford into a good save with his shot from a tight angle.
The key moment came on the hour as Hill was forced to touch a Pettigrew pile-driver from long range over the bar, and from the resulting corner the Blues defender was on hand at the far post to ram his shot past Hill and Kennedy for the only goal of the game.
The Loons finished strongly and could have at least taken a point, but the three good chances they created were all spurned.
Station Park boss Gary Bollan said: “There was nothing between the teams, and it could have gone either way.
“We had some good chances near the end and we probably should have done better with them.”