Match reports for 13/3/04

Falkirk GHG 3
Giffnock 1

Falkirk finally got back to winning ways with a hard fought victory over bottom-placed Giffnock at Linlithgow on Saturday. The local side didn't want to be Giffnock's first scalp of the season, and started in a positive manner when Jonny Anderson broke into the box, only to be denied by an unfortunate break of the ball. Giffnock countered and had a spell of pressure where saves from Scott Morrison delayed the opening goal, but after a slack pass was intercepted, the home defence were unable to prevent Giffnock from sliding the ball home from the right hand side. With Giffnock failing to increase their lead from a series of penalty corners, Falkirk managed to get back into the game and equalised before half-time. After two penalty corner flicks were blocked, it was third time lucky for Stafford Dickson as his shot flew into the net for his 10th goal of the season. After the break, Falkirk took the lead with their first corner of the second half. A strike from Michael Watson was brilliantly saved by the Giffnock keeper, but Stevie Sutton reacted quickest for his second goal in as many games. Giffnock were given a glorious chance to tie the game up again from a penalty flick, but Morrison did enough to put off the taker and saw the flick fly wide of his left hand post. With Falkirk temporarily reduced to 10 through a sin-binning, Giffnock took hold of the game and forced a series of penalty corners. Scott Morrison made a great block low to his right, as well as a number of other saves, whilst Paul Paton cleared a strike from the post, and Dickson and Douglas Nicol charged down all other efforts to keep any further Giffnock scores. Once back to a full compliment, Falkirk sealed the game from a third goal with 10 minutes remaining. Davie Ferguson collected the ball on the edge of the box, and drove to the byeline. After evading one challenge and a reckless headlong dive, he calmly picked out a cross for Watson to convert first time into the net. Giffnock tried to claw their way back into the game in the final few minutes, but with the defence preventing them any consolation from yet more corner attempts, there was to be no last minute disappointment for Falkirk this week.

Inverleith A 0
Falkirk GHG II 2

Falkirk travelled to Currie high this Saturday for their East League division 1 fixture with Inverleith expecting a tough game. They weren't to be disappointed, with Inverleith being younger and fitter than the Falkirk team. What Falkirk lacked in fitness thought they made up with skill, and determination, running out comfortable 2 - 0 winners. Falkirk started well, with good work in the midfield by David Jewell seeing Gregor Maxwell go close on a number of occasions. Just as it looked to be one of those days, Maxwell picked up the ball at the edge of the D and expertly threaded a ball to Ross Crerar to slam home the opening goal. Falkirk continued in good form, for the rest of the half with Maxwell going close on a couple more occasions, but no further scores were added. The second half was much the same as the first, although the home team came more and more into the game as Falkirk tired. Despite mounting some pressure Falkirk were able to resist thanks largely to the tackling of fit again defender Jamie Stoddart. When Falkirk did manage to attack Derek Morrison and Joe Trodden worked well in the midfield to create chances for Maxwell and Crerar up front. When it did eventually come the second goal came from the prolific stick of Maxwell after Crerar and Scott Coventry had carved the opening. But for a couple of miraculous saves from the home keeper in the dying stages of the second half, the scoreline could have been much worse.

Falkirk GHG III 4
Inverleith B 2

Falkirk started this league fixture in determined form on the Linlithgow Academy astro with Iain Cameron going close early on. Falkirk kept this pressure up with Cameron slotting home the first from a Craig Callahan pass. The second goal was a carbon copy of the first, this time up the left side, Stephen Macdonald hitting the ball in for Tom Russell to finish. Inverleith pulled one back before Mark Stewart made it three at half time. Slack marking by Falkirk allowed the Edinburgh opposition to pull another back until a late rally by Falkirk saw Mark Stewart put the game out of Inverleith's reach.

Falkirk GHG IV 2
Inverleith Jnrs 0

Having already beaten Inverleith on their own ground, the game proved to be a scintillating affair, with the juniors being unwilling to roll over to the rampant Falkirk, who seemed to take to heart the words dispensed after last weeks flacid and uninspiring display. So much were the home side inspired that from the outset Falkirk seemed to fight for every ball and half chances were chased and won rather given up as lost causes. Stuart Gardner harassed the defence from the start and forced the juniors back into a corner but a mistimed clearance from defence, prematurely removed him from the fray and he was left to muse what could have been from the sidelines. Alan Jenkins replaced him and injected fresh vigour into the attack, probing the defence with strong and confident stick work. Scott Usher worked up a sweat running end to end ushering the mid field in perfect unison with Gordon Anderson who was allowed free reign to terrorise the opposition. Throughout the first half the home defence and Jamie Ballantine in goal had little to do and pushed forward up field but were constantly reminded by the dulcet calls of Kenny Sharp in central defence to keep alert. Russel Sommerville, Graeme Pitcaithly and Simon Tennant heeded the calls and kept tight reign on the game not allowing the visitors to get into any kind of rhythm. Stuart Taylor forced his way up the wing time and again with only last ditch defending stopping at least three good strikes on goal. The second half was the Billy Brankin show. Not only did he outplay the opposition he proved to be mercurial in every touch, effortlessly stroking the ball past players and then upping the tempo to power through and slap balls across the D to Ross Anderson who pounded the goals relentlessly with shot after shot only to be denied by the Keeper. Then Alan Jenkins stepped in and shot into the gaping net breaking the deadlock and rewarding the exceptional play of his team. Not to be outdone Ross Anderson added another before the end and so ended a truly magnificent team effort. One which should be repeated every week and not kept just for special occasions.

Livingston II 3
Falkirk GHG V 1

It was the ten players of Falkirk that opened the scoring through their first penalty corner of the day with Iain Webster sending the ball past the home keeper. Livingston replied with forcing the ball upfield and bombarding the Falkirk goal but with Craig Malcolm in excellent form it was not to be. Livingston finally equalised ten minutes from the half-time whistle through a penalty corner that ended up a goalmouth scramble. The second half was much the same with both sides trying and failing to capitalise on various mistakes from both defences. Eventually Livingston were awarded a Penalty Stroke through the home umpire which they scraped past Malcolm in goals. The young Falkirk midfield of Chris Brodie, Stewart Laing, Duncan Kehoe, Alan Jenkins and Ian MacFadyen held firm and ran at the Livingston defence forcing various errors but again there was no connection to the forwards of Andrew Malcolm and Jim MacFadyen. Eventually the home side forced a third goal when the Falkirk defence of Chris Taylor, Chris Brodie, John Galloway and Iain Webster eventually tired and in another goalmouth scramble. The game unfortunately ended on a sour note with both teams sounding off to each other but again it was a good game for the young team from Falkirk just getting beat by the league leaders who have been beating teams 8-0 and 7-0.

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