Falkirk 4
Dundee Utd 1
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

The final scoreline may have flattered the home side, but there was little doubt they deserved the points. Falkirk did threaten first when Conn headed wide, but for most of the first half we controlled the game and were unlucky not to go ahead. In the 32nd minute Dave Beaumont crossed into the middle and lain Ferguson's header somehow crept past the far post with the Falkirk 'keeper completely stranded. A couple of minutes later a Billy McKinlay comer was flicked on by Alan Irvine, but the ball flew across the face of the goal. Two minutes before half time a rare Falkirk raid brought reward. Crawford Baptie's looping header struck the bar and went in off the unlucky Billy Thomson as he tried to retrieve the ball.

Five minutes into the second half Crawford Baptie got a second. He combined well with Stewart on the right and sent a curling shot into the far corner of the net. Play was mainly confined to midfield for long spells in the second half until Maurice Malpas hit a volley just wide. Falkirk immediately replied by winning a corner which McWilliams took and Stuart Burgess headed in powerfully with quarter of an hour left. With eight minutes left we got some reward for our efforts. Dave Bowman turned the ball inside to Alan Irvine who knocked the ball to Gordon McLeod who turned it over the line. A miserable evening was completed in the final minute. Baptie broke clear on the right. Billy Thomson parried his effort, Grant knocked the ball goalwards and as Dave Beaumont slid in to try and prevent a goal, the ball hit his arm and Crawford Baptie crashed home the spot kick.