Match reports for 13/11/04

Granite City Wanderers 1
Falkirk GHG 0

Falkirk succumbed to their third defeat of the season in the final game before the winter break against their fellow challengers from Aberdeen, on a disappointing day for the team. With 7 players missing for a variety of reasons, Douglas Nicol had his work cut out getting a side together, and called in Ross Connell from the 2's, with Ross Anderson making the jump from the fourth team to give the clubs top side a bare 11. For the second season in a row at this fixture, Falkirk travelled without subs, and for the second season in a row, paid the price. Wanderers started strongly, but the reshuffled Falkirk back line held firm, and through Gove and Nicol on the middle of the park, started to play their way into the game. Falkirk thought they had earned a penalty when Ross Anderson was clattered by the goalkeeper with the ball high in the air, but the Aberdonian umpire decided that the initial foul was punishment enough, and awarded a penalty corner. Falkirk were unable to capitalise on this chance though, as although the ball was cleared off a defenders foot from Nicol's pass, the infringement was not spotted by the umpire. Robert Thomson kept the scores level with a good save just before half-time, but up until that point, the Falkirk keeper had had very little to do. That changed within 2 minutes of the second half, from a penalty corner, a deflected shot was heading goalwards until Stafford Dickson produced a mid-air block to clear the danger. Unfortunately, the umpire decided that he had seen the ball strike Dickson's body, rather than his stick, and awarded a penalty. For the second week in a row, Robert Thomson excelled himself to save the stroke, and justice was done. Disaster struck the visitors a minute later though as Arthur Robertson was struck on the head by the ball from a Wanderers free-hit. With a head wound eventually requiring 7 stitches, Robertson was forced to leave the field, as with no subs, Falkirk had to play with 10 for the remaining half hour. A solid defensive performance from Falkirk, based on fine goalkeeping from Thomson and spirited tackling from Dickson and Sutton kept Granite City out of the Falkirk goal, until the final 5 minutes. A break of the ball in midfield allowed Granite City to break, and bear in on the visitors goal. The chance appeared to have been lost after the forward miscontrolled, but as Dickson stepped in to clear, he lost his footing on the pitch, and his slip enable Wanderers to regain possession, before shooting low past Thomson. Falkirk were unable to hit back in the time that remained, and were left to ponder what might have been. Ross's Connell and Anderson both acquitted themselves very well and showed great commitment to the club, which is something that will maybe need to be worked on by others over the next 3 months.

Falkirk GHG III 2
Livingston II 1

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