Match reports for 18/10/08

Falkirk GHG 4
Giffnock 3

The game between Falkirk and Giffnock was tagged as a must win for each of the promoted sides, with the winner edging ahead and the loser finding themselves at the bottom of the league. Giffnock grabbed an early lead when a Falkirk attack broke down and gave the visiting forward a clear run on goal from the halfway line, and scored again from a penalty corner with 10 minutes played. Michael Watson almost pulled a goal back after good play by Iain Fraser on the right wing, but his shot was tipped round the post by the Giffnock keeper. Both sides were committed to attacking, and although Giffnock had a lot of possession in the Falkirk half, they were unable to create any clear chances, and it was the home side that got themselves back into the match when Watson tapped in after Chris Anderson's cross eluded the Giffnock defence. The match was turned on it's head at the start of the second half, as the home side battered Giffnock with 3 goals inside 10 minutes. Michael Watson got his second of the match after converting a penalty corner, before Iain Fraser got off the mark from another corner, flicking in off the far post to give the home side the lead. Minutes later an inspired run from Fraser saw him cut in from the right wing, and drive into the box after gliding past three defenders, before being up-ended by the fourth to gain Falkirk a penalty, which Dickson converted. Giffnock were desperate to get back into the game after letting a 2 goal lead slip away, and were denied a penalty claim after a tumble in box which would have got greater reward on a football pitch. The home defence then had to endure a series of penalty corners awarded for anything and everything, emerging unscathed before finally succumbing to the very next penalty corner awarded minutes later. Giffnock finished the game on the front foot and were disappointed not to get a last minute penalty, but as the umpire had allowed the advantage of a clear shot at an empty goal, which went wide, they were left to rue the miss that would surely have secured them a draw.

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