Match Report

Sunday, 5th November, 2023

by Darin Hutson

Falkirk go three points clear at top of table after draw in Dumfries but manager John McGlynn unhappy it's not five

​Falkirk are now three points clear at the top of Scottish League One after drawing 1-1 at Queen of the South on Saturday but manager John McGlynn wasn't happy with that return, regarding it as a missed opportunity to pull more than one win away from second-placed Hamilton Academical.

​Accies' 1-0 loss at Cove Rangers at the weekend leaves them on 27 points from a dozen fixtures, with the Bairns on 30.

Falkirk's third-from-bottom Dumfries hosts had only picked up three points at home all season prior to kick-off on Saturday and had lost their previous six games at Palmerston Park on the bounce so McGlynn was disappointed not to have been able to add to their misery.

Defender Tom Lang put the visitors ahead with a header from a free-kick with 11 minutes on the clock but that was the one and only time they were able to get the ball past home goalkeeper Gordon Botterill, allowing a 24th-minute Gavin Reilly goal to earn his side their first home point since August.

McGlynn views that result as two points thrown away rather than one gained, telling Falkirk TV afterwards: "We came here for three points and we're not going away with three points."

"We came for three. We're a little bit disappointed we're going away with one."

"In the grand scheme of things, if we've gained a point, it's a little bit of a missed opportunity, but at the same time, we'll just need to take it."

"We've kept out unbeaten run going and there are a lot of wins in that."

"There probably wasn't enough end product to say we were deserving of all three points."

"We try to win both home and away, I'm not going to make any bones about that."

McGlynn singled out his side's goal-scorer for praise, adding: "Tom wears his heart on his leeve and I thought he was immense."

"He got us a goal, which is a big part of that, but he also defended so, so well. He won virtually every header and he covered for his fellow defenders on a number of occasions."

It's top versus bottom this coming Saturday as Falkirk are at home to Edinburgh City, with kick-off at 3pm, their visitors being on six points from 12 fixtures following a 5-1 thumping hosting Montrose at the weekend.