Match Report
Wednesday, 26th October, 2011
Dundee United 2 - 2 Falkirk: Visitors stun United in shootout
After extra-time Falkirk won 5-4 on penalties
FALKIRK'S dream campaign in the Scottish Communities League Cup continued last night with a penalty shootout win over Dundee United.
Having beaten Rangers in the last round it was expected that a trip to Tannadice could provide a shock and so it proved as Falkirk held their nerve to see off Peter Houston's team. Stewart Murdoch was the Bairns hero, converting the last penalty kick to secure victory after Willo Flood had missed for United. Falkirk completed a perfect round of spot kicks, seeing Dale Fulton, Farid El Alagui, David Weatherston, Kallum Higginbotham and Murdoch all convert.
Steven Pressley's precocious side deserve immense credit for their steely mentality, which allowed them to remain in the contest during normal and extra-time, after substitute Johnny Russell had cancelled out Farid El Alagui's opening goal within three minutes. And when Jon Daly scored on 96 minutes to put United ahead it would have been easy for their youngsters to crumble but they are made of stern stuff. They managed to come back from losing a two-goal lead against Rangers to beat the SPL champions and that mental strength again came to the fore as substitute Ally Graham, just 19, took the match to penalties with a goal three minutes from the end of overtime.
Following their morale-boosting draw with St Johnstone last weekend, which gained the all-important clean sheet after a period of defensive porousness, United named the same eleven players, meaning Russell was initially left on the bench as Houston favoured a strikeforce of Lauri Dalla Valle and Jon Daly.
Falkirk were always going to name a youthful team but the age of their squad dropped further because of the absences of Tam Scobbie, Mark Millar, Craig Sibbald and Rhys Bennett, meaning the Bairns lived up to their nickname. The visitors Falkirk lacked nothing in confidence early on, spraying the ball around with aplomb and their patience in possession could have been rewarded on 22 minutes as they shifted play across from the right-hand side of the pitch to Stephen Kingsley on the right before he found El Alagui inside the penalty area.
The Morroccan won the ball ahead of Gavin Gunning but his flick was easily snaffled by Dusan Pernis, the United goalkeeper.
And his counterpart in goals for Falkirk, Michael McGovern, was quickly into action as United marauded down to the other end with Paul Dixon, whose cross was met by Dalla Valle but the Northern Irishman was able to tip over the crossbar.
McGovern should have been beaten on 29 minutes, though, when Flood drove a low cross into the box for Dalla Valle and the striker, on loan from Fulham, was once again in the right position but he stabbed his shot wide. United sensed blood and were desperately unlucky not to forge ahead just 60 seconds later when Daly, the home captain, picked up a pass on the edge of the box and smashed a shot beyond the goalkeeper only for it to cannon back off the woodwork. Falkirk were struggling to stem the flow of United attacks and were indebted to McGovern again on 33 minutes for turning away a Scott Robertson shot from 18 yards. The luckless Robertson was denied a further twice with shots from inside the box either side of half-time but both were deflected wide by some frantic Falkirk defending. In an attempt to rejuvenate his team after the interval broke their momentum Houston introduced Johnny Russell for Dalla Valle on 56 minutes.
He won a corner kick within seconds and it should have yielded a goal, as Daly met Flood's dead ball but he nodded over from six yards. Then Falkirk, who brought substitute Dale Fulton on seconds before, handed United a lesson in clinical finishing. The replacement immediately went to the left-hand side, picked up the ball and planted it straight on El Alagui's head six yards out and he simply smashed it beyond Pernis for his 17th goal in 18 matches this season. But their lead lasted on three minutes as Russell powered United back into the contest. Falkirk's defence were hesitant in closing down Robertson and, with the ball loose, play was taken up by the forward, who blasted a left foot shot in from an acute angle. Falkirk came back from losing a lead to beat Rangers and almost did it again with a minute to go when substitute Dale Fulton, son of former Celtic and Hearts player Steve Fulton, teed up David Weatherston but his header was clasped in mid-air by Pernis.
United lost Robertson, perhaps their most effective player, four minutes into overtime with a head knock which caused him to walk off the park.
But that did not deter them from taking the lead within 120 second. Russell, who had transformed United's attack after coming off the bench, slipped a pass through for Daly and he coolly slotted it past McGovern into the goalkeeper's far right corner. The Irishman nearly added another with a wonderful dipping volley which beat the keeper but came back off the crossbar. Falkirk had a late chance for an equaliser when the ball bobbled around the penalty area before falling for Al Alagui but he fired his volley straight at Pernis. But the visiting fans were sent into raptures with just three minutes to go when Graham wriggled free inside the box before slotting a shot past Pernis.
And the drama was not concluded there as McGovern got down low to push away a Gunning volley. But the game went to penalty kicks and that allowed Falkirk, mature way beyond their years, to progress into the semi-finals.
Dundee United: Pernis, Watson, Dixon, Gunning, Kenneth, Flood, Robertson, Rankin, Douglas, Daly, Dalla Valle. Subs: Banks, Russell, Armstrong, Allan, Dow.
Falkirk: McGovern, Duffie, Dods, Kingsley, Wallace, Weatherston, Murdoch, Jay Fulton, Alston, El Alagui, Higginbotham. Subs: Bowman, Dale Fulton, Graham, Dick, Ryan Millar.