Falkirk FC

[DavidMc]

St Mirren v Falkirk
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 26th April 08
Love Street, Paisley

St Mirren defender Ian Maxwell is doubtful with a knee injury picked up in training as Falkirk visit.

Hugh Murray is suspended, while David van Zanten will miss out through injury, so youth and fringe players are set to be given a chance to impress.

Falkirk have no fresh injury worries for the trip to Paisley.

Kenny Milne, Dean Holden and Brian Allison remain sidelined, but recently returned striker Michael Higdon will aim to complete the full 90 minutes.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

St Mirren (from): Howard, Barron, Haining, Potter, Maxwell, McCay, Hamilton, Dorman, Mason, Corcoran, Brady, McGinn, Dargo, Smith, Kean, Mehmet, Brittain, O'Donnell.

Falkirk (from): Olejnik, Supple, Ross, Aafjes, Barr, Scobbie, McBride, Cregg, Arfield, Riera, Bradley, Higdon, Barrett, Moutinho, Finnigan, Clarke, Moffat, Stewart.

[DavidMc]

Falkirk v Heart of Midlothian
Scottish Premier League
Monday 5th May 08
Brockeville Stadium

Falkirk head coach John Hughes must decide whether to field Jack Ross after the defender signed a pre-contract agreement with St Mirren.

The Bairns will definitely be without Arnau Riera after the midfielder failed in an appeal against a red card - and injured defender Dean Holden.

Hearts winger Andrew Driver has recovered from a thigh tear and striker Christian Nade is over a head injury.

Defender Robbie Neilson continues to struggle with a pelvic complaint.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Falkirk (from): Supple, Ross, Scobbie, Milne, Barr, Cregg, Arfield, Finnigan, Latapy, Barrett, Higdon, Moutinho, Aafjes, Stewart, Bradley, McBride, Olejnik, Clarke.

Hearts (from): Banks, Thomson, Goncalves, Karipidis, Berra, Jonsson, Cesnauskis, Palazuelos, Mikoliunas, Glen, Elliot, Ridgers, Kingston, Zaliukas, Screpis, Ivaskevicius, Nade, Driver.

[DavidMc]

Falkirk 2-1 Inverness CT
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 10th May 08
Brockville Stadium

Goals either side of half-time secured a comfortable victory for Falkirk over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Michael Higdon's close-range tap-in opened the scoring for the Bairns in the 29th minute.

Carl Finnigan added a second in the 68th minute with a strike from the edge of the penalty area.

Caley Thistle picked up a consolation in injury time when Barry Wilson converted a penalty after Thomas Scobbie felled him in the box.

The Bairns welcomed Inverness to the Falkirk Stadium still seeking to claim seventh spot in the Scottish Premier League table.

Higdon was first to stamp his authority on the match with a close-range header after just 60 seconds, but Inverness goalkeeper Michael Fraser held well.

Three minutes later, Wilson was presented with an open goal at the other end but sent his shot over the Falkirk bar.


It took almost 30 minutes before the deadlock was broken when Higdon scored his first goal after returning from injury after Moutinho swung in a corner and Darren Barr flicked on for the Englishman to tap in from three yards out.

Falkirk followed up with a flurry of corners but failed to extend their lead, although Finnigan came close with a powerful shot from 12 yards out on the left, but Wilson was on hand to block.

Caley Thistle's Don Cowie could have levelled matters six minutes from half-time with left-footed drive from distance, but Falkirk keeper Shane Supple parried.

After the break, Falkirk pushed to double their tally when Moutinho flighted in a trademark corner, but Fraser out-jumped the crowd to gather it.

The pressure from Falkirk continued with a 53rd-minute shot from Scott Arfield, but again Fraser thwarted the attack.


However, Finnigan made it two for the Bairns with a right-footed strike into the top corner of the net from 18 yards out following an assist from Moutinho.

As time wore on, Inverness struggled to make any major contribution to the match, although Ross Tokely's header bounced off the post with five minutes left to play.

In the dying minutes of injury time, Wilson was bearing down on goal when Scobbie appeared to fell him inside the box and the ref pointed to the spot.

Wilson stepped up and sent Supple the wrong way to pick up a morale-boosting consolation.

But it was John Hughes' men who deservedly took all three points from their final home match of the season.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Falkirk: Supple, Aafjes, Barr, Scobbie, Cregg, McBride, Mitchell, Arfield (Latapy 59), Moutinho (Moffat 76), Finnigan (Stewert 86), Higdon. Subs Not Used: Olejnik, Ross, Barrett, Bradley.

Goals: Higdon 28, Finnigan 68.

Inverness CT: Fraser, Proctor, Tokely, Hastings, Imrie, Wilson, Black (Duncan 46), Cowie, McAllister (Bayne 71), Niculae (Vigurs 80), McBain. Subs Not Used: Malkowski, Hart, Wyness, Kerr.

Booked: Proctor, Bayne.

Goals: Wilson 90 pen.

[LAF]

O'Brien back up north with Bairns

Falkirk have made former Sheffield Wednesday and Livingston midfielder Burton O'Brien the latest close-season addition to their squad.

The former Scotland Under-21 international, released by Wednesday at the end of last season, has signed a three-year contract with the Bairns.

O'Brien, 27, told Falkirk TV: "I think the club will be first and foremost pushing to get into the top six.

"But I would like to see us pushing to get a little bit higher than that."

Falkirk finished seventh in the Scottish Premier League last season.

South Africa-born O'Brien began his career with St Mirren, winning a big-money move to Blackburn Rovers after just 18 appearances.

He returned to Paisley on loan and his three-year spell at Ewood Park came to an end in 2002 having made just one substitute appearance for Rovers.

O'Brien spent three seasons with Livingston before a similar spell with Wednesday.

He becomes the fifth signing Falkirk head coach John Hughes has made this summer, following deals for Neil McCann, Jackie McNamara, Lee Bullen and Dermot McCaffrey.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Falkirk | O'Brien back up north with Bairns

[DavidMc]

Riera signs on at Falkirk for another season

Sunderland midfielder Arnau Riera has signed a season-long loan deal to return to Falkirk despite picking up an injury during a pre-season friendly.

The 26-year-old was substituted during the Bairns' 0-0 draw with Hartlepool.

But head coach John Hughes told BBC Sport: "It was only a knock. Everything has been completed."

Meanwhile, Hughes dismissed as "pure speculation" suggestions that Chelsea and Manchester United have expressed an interest in midfielder Scott Arfield.

Arfield has come through the youth ranks with Falkirk and the 19-year-old has already made 39 first-team appearances. Scott Arfield will still be here in three years time

"Scott Arfield has to keep his feet on the ground and will still be here in three years time," said Hughes, who appears determined to keep hold of his protege until the end of his contract.

Meanwhile, the head coach is delighted that Riera - the Spaniard made 22 appearances last season - has returned to Falkirk Stadium.

Reira, who is expected to be out injured for up to a week, played only twice for Sunderland since arriving from Barcelona in 2006 and spent time on loan with Southend United before being farmed out to Falkirk. MY SPORT: DEBATE
Give your opinion on the return of Arnau Riera

"He picked up a couple of injuries last season that hampered him, but he is a quality player, a real good footballer," said Hughes.

Hughes is still looking to strengthen his squad further and Falkirk are believed to be vying with Hibernian and Kilmarnock for the signature of former Aberdeen striker Steve Lovell.

[DavidMc]

Celtic v St Mirren
Scottish Premier League
Sunday 10th August 08
Celtic Park

Shunsuke Nakamura is the only first-team regular missing through injury for Celtic as they prepare to unfurl the championship flag against St Mirren.

The Japan midfielder is out with a groin injury, while Chris Killen and Evander Sno are on Olympic duty.

St Mirren could give a debut to new Spanish signing Antonio Guerae Mayoral.

Fellow midfielders Andy Dorman and Gary mason, plus defender Will Haining and striker Craig Dargo, are all receiving treatment for injuries.

Celtic (from): Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Wilson, Scott Brown, Hartley, Robson, McGeady, McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Samaras, Mark Brown, Donati, Caddis, McGowan, O'Dea, McCourt.

St Mirren (from): tbc

BBC SPORT | Football | Scottish Premier | Celtic v St Mirren (Sun)

[DavidMc]

Hibernian v Falkirk
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 16th August 08
Easter Road Stadium

Hibernian midfielder Ian Murray returns from suspension and is likely to replace the injured Steven Thicot.

New loan signing Steve Pinau may be included in the squad if international clearance arrives for the Frenchman.

Falkirk hope to include Scott Flinders on the bench after agreeing a loan deal with Crystal Palace for the goalkeeper.

Manager John Hughes will give late fitness tests to Graham Barrett, Neil McCann and striker Steve Lovell ahead of the trip to Easter Road.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hibernian (from): McNeil, Van Zanten, Hogg, Jones, Hanlon, Shiels, Murray, Keenan, O'Brien, Nish, Fletcher, Grof, Canning, Stevenson, Chisholm, Morais, Campbell, Rankin.

Falkirk (from): Olejnik, McNamara, Scobbie, Barr, Bullen, Aafjes, McCaffrey, McBride, Cregg, Arfield, Latapy, O'Brien, McCann, Finnigan, Higdon, Barrett, J Stewart, Flinders, Barrett, McCann, Lovell.

[DavidMc]

Celtic v Falkirk
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 23rd August 08
Celtic Park

Glenn Loovens could make his Celtic debut against Falkirk should Gary Caldwell fail to recover from injury.

Loovens' fellow new signing, Shaun Maloney, is also in the squad, while Paul Hartley has returned to fitness.

Falkirk are likely to be without 10 first-team players, with playmaker Russell Latapy doubtful through injury.

Graham Barrett, Steve Lovell, Carl Finnigan, Burton O'Brien, Neil McCann, Arnau Riera, Dean Holden, Tam Scobbie and Brian Allison are all missing.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Celtic (from): Boruc, Hinkel, McManus, Loovens, Caldwell, Wilson, Nakamura, Robson, Hartley, Maloney, S Brown, McGeady, McDonald, Samaras, Vennegoor of Hesselink, M Brown, Crosas, Donati, O'Dea, Caddis.

Falkirk (from): Olejnik, McNamara, Bullen, Barr, Aafjes, Cregg, McBride, Arfield, J Stewart, Higdon, M Stewart, Flinders, McCaffrey, Robertson, Mitchell, Staunton, Gibb, Moffat.

[DavidMc]

Falkirk v Heart of Midlothian
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 13th September 08
New Brockville Stadium

Falkirk head coach John Hughes hopes to welcome back up to five players from injury for Hearts' visit.

Tam Scobbie, Burton O'Brien and Russell Latapy are in line for a return. Summer signing Steve Lovell may feature and Neil McCann is available.

Uganda midfielder David Obua and Lithuanian winger Deividas Cesnauskis miss the game following injuries picked up playing for their countries.

Striker Mike Tullberg and winger Andrew Driver also both miss out.

But new signing Adrian Mrowiec, on loan from FBK Kaunas, could make his debut in midfield.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Falkirk: (from) Olejnik, Flinders, McNamara, Bullen, Barr, Aafjes, Scobbie, Cregg, McBride, O'Brien, Arfield, J Stewart, Latapy, M Stewart, Barrett, Lovell, McCaffrey, Moffat.

Hearts: (from) Kello, Jonsson, Zaliukas, Berra, Wallace, Mrowiec, Stewart, Karipidis, Mikoliunas, Kingston, Mole, Balogh, Thomson, Palazuelos, Ksanavicius, Nade, Glen, Rapnik.

[DavidMc]

St Mirren v Falkirk
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 20th September 08
Love Street Stadium

St Mirren midfielder Tonet will miss the Scottish Premier League visit by Falkirk with a persistent foot injury.

Defender David Barron is still out with the knee injury that sidelined him from last weekend`s trip to Inverness.

Former Hibernian midfielder Sean Lynch is hoping to make his Falkirk debut after signing on Thursday.

Russell Latapy has recovered from a knock, but Carl Finnigan, Arnau Riera, Dean Holden and Brian Allison all miss out through injury.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

St Mirren: (from) Howard, Ross, Miranda, Mason, Haining, Cuthbert, Potter, Dorman, Brady, Robb, Wyness, Mehmet, Dargo, O`Donnell, Smith, Murray, McAusland, McGinn.

Falkirk: (from) Olejnik, McNamara, Bullen, Barr, Scobbie, Arfield, McBride, O'Brien, Barrett, Higdon, McCann, Flinders, Cregg, Lovell, M Stewart, Latapy, Aafjes, Lynch.

[DavidMc]

Falkirk 4-1 Hamilton
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 27th September 08
New Brockville Stadium

Rampant Falkirk rose off the bottom of the table with a rout at home to Hamilton Academical.

Steve Lovell, a Scott Arfield double and Burton O'Brien's goals secured the victory, with the visitors' replay coming from debuant Trent McLenahan.

Lovell's close-range effort put Falkirk ahead before half-time before Scott Arfield's mazy run and shot and O'Brien's screamer.

Arfield hit a penalty for his second and Hamilton hit a late consolation.

Both began the match utilising fluid formations designed to get men forward when in possession and players back when not.

And it was one of Hamilton's roaming midfielders, James McCarthy, who was permitted the game's first sight of goal after five minutes only to blaze wildly past.

In a low-key opening, Falkirk midfielder Burton O'Brien had a shot blocked by David Elebert but it was Hamilton who enjoyed more of the possession in the early exchanges.

Ironically, the visitors' most decisive move then came after a concerted spell defending their own penalty area.

Whilst Falkirk failed to make real inroads, Accies swept up the field only for Bairns keeper Robert Olejnik to get his full body behind Derek Lyle's left-foot shot.

Hamilton counterpart Tomas Cerny looked less convincing as he challenged Steve Lovell for the ball on the edge of his six-yard box.

But, fortunately for the SPL newcomers, Simon Mensing was on hand to clear the loose ball off his line.

Falkirk were struggling to get their passing game going, with a lack of movement in front of hesitant defenders seeing moves break down too often in their own half.

The Bairns were also failing to cope with McCarthy's free role behind lone striker Joel Thomas.

The teenager turned away from home skipper Darren Barr far too easily in the 26th minute and the Scotland defender was lucky his tug on McCarthy's jersey took place just outside the area and that the free-kick came to nothing.

Falkirk finally threatened the Hamilton goal with two chances inside a minute.

First, Graham Barrett swivelled on Michael Higdon's pass but shot too close to Cerny and then he hit the side-netting after Higdon and Lovell had combined to find the Irishman space.

Nine minutes from the break, Tony Stevenson's inswinging corner had the home defence in trouble but Thomas' header was scooped over the bar by Olejnik.

With the break fast approaching, Falkirk finally ended the tedium with a well-worked goal.

Higdon's neat touch allowed Barrett to scamper into space just inside the box and his cross was knocked in from close range by Lovell.

Hamilton made a tactical switch at the start of the second period, with Mensing being pushed forward from right-back into central midfield and Stevenson moving back into defence.

However, McCarthy almost set up an equaliser within a minute of the restart.

The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international sent a magnificent reverse pass into the inside-right channel for James McArthur to run on to but the midfielder's shot was too weak and was held by Olejnik.

Mensing had a shot bravely blocked by Barr at one end before Cerny fisted away Kevin McBride's powerful drive as Falkirk responded with a counter-attack.

Both sides were producing far better fare but the visitors decided on a bold double-switch in the 55th minute, replacing Thomas and Lyle with Richard Offiong and Stephen Ettien, Wednesday's match-winner against Motherwell.

Within three minutes, Ettien came within a whisker of levelling. The Frenchman headed David Graham's cross against Olejnik's right-hand post with what looked like the aid of a touch from the Falkirk keeper and the Bairns won the ensuing scramble for the loose ball.

Falkirk midfielder Scott Arfield spoke prior to the game of adding more goals to his game and after a quiet display grabbed a superb second of the season in the 69th minute.

The Scotland under-21 cap ghosted past some despairing lunges as he drove at the Hamilton defence and his left-footed shot beat Cerny low to his left.

Two minutes later, the Bairns sealed all three points with a third when Cerny was culpable with a poor clearance straight to O'Brien.

The summer signing did not take the chance to shoot from distance towards an unguarded net but his eventual drive flew past the Czech keeper for a magnificent strike.

Lovell passed up an excellent opportunity for a fourth in the 79th minute as he blazed just wide from Arfield's pass and Cerny turned aside Higdon's effort eight minutes from time as Falkirk finished on top.

However, John Hughes' side were not to be denied and Arfield swept in a penalty three minutes from time after David Graham had taken down substitute Gerard Aafjes.

The visitors at least grabbed a consolation in the 90th minute as Olejnik could only turn McLenahan's cross into his own net.

[DavidMc]

Heart of Midlothian 2-1 Falkirk
Scottish Premier League
Saturday 22nd November 08
Tynecastle Stadium

Andrew Driver's superb solo effort ensured that Hearts came from behind to dump Falkirk and consolidate their place in third in the SPL.

Steve Lovell toe-poked the visitors into an early lead against the run of play as they searched their first win at Tynecastle in 13 years.

But Bruno Aguiar's accurately curled free-kick levelled matters three minutes later.

And Driver weaved through the Bairns defence to score after the break.

Hearts had started without influential midfielder Michael Stewart through suspension, but replacement Ruben Palazuelos helped them dominate early possession.

Christian Nade, looking fitter after recent criticism of his fast-food diet, teed up Aguiar on the edge of the box, but the midfielder dragged his shot wide.

Nade and Eggert Jonsson had close-range efforts blocked and Aguiar volleyed inches over from 16 yards.

Falkirk looked to be missing the injured influential trio Dean Holden, Scott Arfield and Jackie McNamara.

Arnau Riera came into the side along with the inexperienced Des McCaffrey and Chris Mitchell, who was earning his first start of the season.

But it was the Bairns who went ahead against the run of play after 16 minutes.

Michael Higdon slipped a pass through to Lovell and the striker ran clear of the defence before toe-poking the ball past goalkeeper Janos Balogh.
Lovell had given Falkirk the lead in Edinburgh

The lead lasted a mere three minutes, however, after Aguiar planted a 20-yard free-kick in the top-right corner of the net following Darren Barr's foul on Nade.

Falkirk settled their nerves and Mitchell's free-kick bounced just past the post.

Driver just failed to pick out Jonsson inside the Bairns box, while Marius Zaliukas failed to keep his header down after being picked out by Aguiar.

David Obua's introduction as a second-half sustitute was interrupted when he was sent from the field to take off some jewellery.

But it was quickly followed by a golden moment when Driver, who was due to switch to the other wing to make way for the Ugandan, weaved his way through the defence before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting the ball home.

Falkirk, who had won three out of the last four meetings with Hearts, pressed for an equaliser and a long-range effort from Mitchell forced a fine save from Balogh.

From the corner, Aguiar cleared off the line to prevent a Lee Bullen header saving a point for the Bairns, while Higdon failed to covert a fine Mitchell cross.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo:
"If we stay in third place at the end of the season, I will be happy, but I am not satisfied.

"The positives was the second half, but the first was a catastrophe and we talked about that in the dressing-room.

"I must compliment our opponents as they did not sit back in the second half and try to play on the counter attack and, if we can continue that, we can develop Scottish football.

"The two goals were reward for the work we have done with Bruno and Driver on the training field."

Falkirk head coach John Hughes:
"To score and the concede an equaliser within five minutes was disappointing.

"I felt it was a foul on Darren Barr as I thought Christian Nade was backing into him.

"In terms of effort and commitment and going about the game in the right manner, it was great, but we will not win football matches if we lose goals like their second.

"We gave it one rousing go in the last 10 or 15 minutes and could have got something from the game.

"And I thought the two boys who made their first starts of the season, Mitchell and McCaffrey, did well."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hearts: Balogh, Neilson, Berra, Zaliukas, Lee Wallace, Jonsson (Obua 60), Aguiar, Karipidis, Palazuelos, Driver, Nade (Makela 90).
Subs Not Used: MacDonald, Thomson, Mole, Templeton, Brown.

Booked: Lee Wallace.

Goals: Aguiar 18, Driver 59.

Falkirk: Flinders, McCaffrey, Barr, Bullen, Mitchell, Riera (Mark Stewart 85), McBride, Cregg (Barrett 67), O'Brien, Higdon, Lovell.
Subs Not Used: Olejnik, Lynch, John Stewart, Moffat, Staunton. Booked: Riera, Mitchell.

Goals: Lovell 16.

Att: 13,009