Falkirk got back to winning ways with a narrow victory over Aberdeen Grammar on Saturday at Linlithgow. After making a good start to the game and putting the visitors goal under constant pressure, Falkirk surprisingly found themselves a goal down. A penalty corner strike was well saved by Robert Thomson, but Grammar reacted quickest to force the rebound home. Falkirk continued to push forward to try and get an equaliser, and came close with James Robertson just failing to connect with a reverse stick flick, before winning a series of Penalty corners. Douglas Nicol forced a good block from the keeper, who then produced a diving save from the next corner to stop Michael Watson's goal bound effort reaching the top corner. Despite all of the pressure, there was no way through for Falkirk until the introduction of Stafford Dickson, making an unexpected appearance after injury. The equaliser came with the award of the next penalty corner, as Dickson's flick powered through the legs of the Grammar keeper, and within minutes, Falkirk took the lead, Dickson firing home his second after good work by Watson. Falkirk held the lead into half-time and came close to extending it at the start of the second half, but Robertson's flick crept agonisingly wide with the keeper well beaten. With mistakes creeping into the home side's play, Aberdeen put the Falkirk defence under pressure, and were awarded a penalty flick after a goal bound shot struck Dickson from a yard, but Falkirk maintained their lead as Robert Thompson produced a great save to deny Grammar an equaliser. With time running out, it looked as if Falkirk would sneak it, but disaster struck with 3 minutes remaining as a harmless shot deflected off a Falkirk stick and flew over Thompson into the Falkirk net. Rather than getting despondent, Falkirk went back on the offensive and were rewarded with a penalty corner on the final whistle. After the first shot was blocked, Dickson was bundled to the ground as he went for the rebound, and a penalty was awarded, much to the despair of the visitors. With the final touch of the game, Dickson fired the penalty low to the keepers right to complete his hat-trick and earn Falkirk the points.
Edinburgh University IV 3
Falkirk GHG II 3
The 2nd eleven travelled to Peffermill missing a number of regulars, so credit to all those who turned out and showed grit and determination to come away with a point. Falkirk went two goals behind by half time as Uni scored twice on the break. Falkirk pulled a goal back early in the second half through a swift passing move finished off well by Joe Trodden. Edinburgh restored their two goal lead following a short corner but Falkirk dug deep and kept the Uni defence busy creating numerous chances, two of which were converted by Ross Crerar and Craig Gove. A big thanks to all from the captain of a still unbeaten team.
Falkirk thirds were forced to field an unfamiliar defence in this league match against Reivers. With the usual back four depleted through work commitments and injuries, striker Danny Gibney, midfielder Tom Russell and winger Mark Stewart filled in at the back. The unfamiliarity of the defence showed early on in the game, when Falkirk went one down from a good individual effort, before being punished again from a short corner to make it 2-0 to the visitors. The team found their feet with Jonny Anderson, Danny Gibney and Gregor Maxwell coming close. Into the second half Falkirk wasted short corner after short corner. It looked like it wasn't going to be the thirds day, until eventually Barry Warner latched onto an Iain Cameron pass, from a well hit short corner to pull one back. With Gibney marshalling the defence and winning ever tackle, this inspired a Falkirk resurgence with more creative forward play leading to a long corner, which was hit in by McNeill to Gregor Maxwell who made no mistake with a calm finish from the centre of the D. The match ended 2-2 with Falkirk the happier of the two teams. Although missing several important regulars there was no doubting the effort and fighting spirit of the thirds came through for this hard fought point.
Carnegie Juniors 0
Falkirk GHG IV 2
The Falkirk side travelled to Rosyth for this encounter against the juniors, early on Falkirk were to totally dominate in all positions. Inspirational saves from the Carnegie keeper kept the game at a impasse until a mazy run by Ross Anderson taking on three of the red shirts, skilfully slipping passed an early dive from the keeper to slot home. This inspired the midfield to try harder than before stunning performances from Stuart Taylor, Gordon McCaig and Kevin Cummings. Iain Forbes switched well with Graeme Pitcaithly on the right hand side to devastating effect but goals were still elusive until 5 mins before the break, when a well struck shot by Ross saved by the keeper was well picked up by the youngster Ali Nayor for his first goal in league competition. After the break the juniors put on a fine display but never really threatened the back four. Derry Barton harried all day but only managed to pick up a gashed finger for his efforts from an overzealous swipe by Tosh, the final 15 minutes saw the juniors' fire all they could muster at the boys. Alan Jenkins, Simon Tennant and the rest of the team just soaked it up, Gareth Brown in goals had a fairly quiet game but when they took their 2 chances in the game Gareth was up to the task, a great performance from the whole team.
Waverley Inveresk Colts 1
Falkirk GHG V 2
The young Falkirk side went to this away game at Musselburgh with a bare eleven and two of them were carrying injuries, but they showed if they played the game they could hold their own. The game started with the home side pressurising the visitors and laying siege on the Falkirk goal but it was when a tactical change by Captain Chris Taylor to move defender Ross Drummond up the field to midfield general that Ross produced the first goal with a shot from the baseline past the unsuspecting home keeper. Falkirk then stepped up the pressure and produced some excellent hockey from Per Dullforce, who is a force to be reckoned with, as he produced a 110% effort throughout which just encouraged everybody else to step up their game. This materialised in Falkirk gaining their second goal through a penalty corner which was expertly hit by John Galloway through the home sides keepers legs right on the half-time whistle. Waverley came back in the second half and while gaining a goal through a penalty corner the game then turned with Falkirk keeping Waverley in their own half by thwarting all their sorties when crossing the halfway line.
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