Falkirk 2-1 Inverness CT - SPL
Barry Wilson did score a penalty for ICT right at the end but it was too little too late.
03/05/08 The Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk FALKIRK 2 Higdon (28), Finnigan (68) Team: Supple, Aafjes, Scobbie, Mitchell, Barr, Cregg, McBride, Arfield (Latapy 59), Moutinho (Moffat 76), Finnigan (Stewert 86), Higdon SUBS: Barrett, Bradley, Ross, Olejnik
INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE 1 Wilson (90pen) Team: Fraser, Tokely, Proctor, Hastings, McBain, Wilson, Black (Duncan 56), Cowie, Imrie, Niculae (Vigurs 80), McAllister (Bayne 71) SUBS: Wyness, Hart, Kerr, Malkowski
Referee S Somers Attendance 5631 From CTO
One team gave a **** about the result and one didn't. Can you tell which was which? Between Wilson's wonderful chance early on and the late penalty, we couldn't have scored in a brothel.
The game was a carbon copy of when they beat us at TCS in March. Our tactics against the Bairns are the footballing equivalent of the Munich treaty of 1938 - we gave them huge amounts of territory unnecessarily, which only made them stronger and more dangerous (that's the worst metaphor I've thought of in ages, but I'm sticking to it). The two big differences today was that we missed Munro, and they had Higdon back - I thought he gave Proc a horrible time and he was the best player on the park.
It looked like we were trying to play 4-5-1 with Niculae deeper than Rory, but Rory couldn't hold up a baby, let alone a ball. On the rare occasions that we tried putting passes together we had some success, so, true to Brewster Logic, we therefore decided to instead punt long balls. And somehow, despite extra bodies in midfield, Falkirk could have driven a bus down the centre of the pitch without running over anyone. Then in the second half our midfielders kept swapping all over the pitch, and the only consequence was that none of them were there to help when we were defending. The first goal appeared to be hopeless marking; the second one was so easy that a bunch of traffic cones would have made it more difficult for the Falkirk attack than our defence.
And it's all I can do to stop myself launching into a tirade about Rory's performance and the decision to play him as a lone striker. The nicest thing I can say about him is that he is a waste of space. He is either lazy, cowardly, incompetent or a combination of the three. And that meant that, on the rare occasion we got the ball up the pitch, we lost it again, quick as a flash.
Did Black get injured? It meant we had to put up with the textbook Duncan performance of misplaced passes, poor positioning and multiple shots from distance that endangered only the ballboys behind the goal.
Positives? Well, my all day breakfast at the Little Chef North of Stirling was nice.
That's the first away game I've done since New Year. God have mercy on those who go to all of these if our performances are anything like this.
Tm4tj: Uninspiring stuff.
We were poor, and Falkirk were eager and quicker on the break and with the Jambo's being pumped by Killie their mission was accomplished. Barry could have opened the scoring early on but after chasing a ball down the inside right channel he went too far and his attempted chip into the goals from a more acute angle than he would have liked sailed harmlessly high and wide. Grim stuff from us as an attacking force with Rory being the main culprit. I reckon he seems to be scared when challenging defenders as he misses so many balls aimed in his direction and ultimately loses out in any challenge despite some nice touches. Defence looked all at sea yesterday with Granty missing again and Proctors indecision almost cost us dear. Imrie struggled to make headway early on but improved as the game progressed. Cowie was another I thought who lacked an edge and Black was very quiet. Fraser did well and was not to blame for either goal, the second being lashed past him after Roy tangled with his own player in the left half area, and when Falkirk broke forward from there, Finnegan lashed a great shot high into the net from fifteen yards past an exposed Mike. Best that can be said about the game was Bazza becoming the second top ICT scorer on his own after calmly converting a penalty he himself won in the last couple of minutes, cutting along the byeline and being felled as he moved into the box. Hastings posted missing most of the game, leaving the right wing area open to abuse. Marius had some good touches, but playing deeper than Rory would have given him little enthusiasm and nowhere to play the ball to and expect a return pass. He tried a couple of shots which were either blocked or screwed wide, but really not a good day for him overall. I thought Russell looked keen when he came on but the game was lost by then and it was the usual too little too late.
Brew was in his suit all day, no intention of playing at all. Some of the guys on the park might have well played with their suits on as well. But lets not be too critical, it was what they call end of season stuff.
Best for us on the day..........Fraser, Imrie eventually and Bazza who looks like he is winning the battle to sign a new contract, if ability is anything to go by.
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