It was party time for Falkirk as they made their bow in the SPL but the visitors, and Craig Brewster in particular, took the edge of the day with a hard-fought victory. The First Division flag was ceremoniously hoisted at the magnificent Falkirk Stadium and Caley Thistle vice chairman Graeme Bennett presented Falkirk chairman Campbell Christie with a quaich to mark the occasion.

With the pleasantries over it was down to business.

The Bairns took the game to Caley Thistle with the high-decibel backing of a large crowd desperate for three points. Russell Latapy was a constant threat but some splendid defending held him in check. Alan Gow raced goalwards in the first minute and it took the combined efforts of David Proctor and Stuart Golabek to clear the danger. A Latapy pass into the box just failed to reach Gow then in the twelfth minute Latapy was sent clear by Steven Thomson and it took an excellent Proctor tackle on the edge of the box to stop him. A Gow corner in 26 minutes was pushed away by Mark Brown then he palmed a second corner before the move ended with a Latapy off-target shot. Brown dived low to save from Latapy in 32 minutes then the same player shot just over. It was not all one way traffic and debutant Craig Dargo had a chance in 38 minutes. The ball broke to the left goal-line as ‘keeper Matt Glennon came out and failed to collect. The goal was open but the angle was virtually impossible and the ball ran over for a goal-kick. The best first half chance for ICT fell to Barry Wilson five minutes before the break after Brewster dummied a Richard Hastings pass – Wilson 's drive went wide.

Half Time 0-0

The visitors created much more in the second period but not before Brown had to save at the feet of Darryl Duffy a mere 30 seconds into the half. A minute later Ian Black played a one-two with Wilson who then hit a strong low shot from 25 yards – it beat Glennon but bounced off the post to safety. The home fans were silenced in 57 minutes when a Stuart Golabek ball into the Falkirk box reached Brewster - he headed left as Glennon rushed out and scored from an acute angle despite the desperate efforts of captain Craig Ireland. Some needle crept in and Latapy went down in the box twice in succession. Referee John Underhill ignored the penalty claims to the fury of the home fans. Victory was assured eight minutes from time when a Roy McBain low ball into the box was swept home from six yards by Brewster. Falkirk threw everything at the ICT defence in the last few minutes and the old cliché of a stramash was very appropriate when Brown saved well from Duffy and the resultant corner was eventually scrambled clear. A minute over time a Duffy overhead kick was held by Brown then Glennon at the other end collected a Golabek chip.

Full Time 0-2

Hearts and ICT were the only SPL winners so shared top spot with Hearts given the edge as they scored four goals. A fine start to ICT's second season in the SPL – on the eleventh anniversary of the club's first official game following unification in 1994.