Match Report
Tuesday, 15th January, 2008
by Julian Peck
Falkirk 4 Queen of the South 2
Two goals each for Scott Arfield and Graham Barrett saw off the plucky Doonhamers, who briefly took a second half lead through Robert Harris after Barry Wilson had equalised.
With Steve Lovell suffering from a thigh strain, Bairns boss John Hughes drafted in Graham Barrett to partner Michael Higdon up front in a 4-4-2 formation.
The return of captain Darren Barr from suspension, meanwhile, saw Dean Holden drop to the bench as Tam Scobbie regained his starting slot from seven days previously.
Westfield was battered by wind and rain as the Bairns kicked off against last year's Scottish Cup finalists.
And they threatened first when Higdon set up Barrett, but his angled shot was easily gathered by Lee Robinson.
Seconds later the striker had an even better chance when he connected with Jackie McNamara's cross from the right. However, while his header beat the Queens keeper, the ball crashed off the crossbar.
Falkirk were doing most of the attacking and it took their opponents until the 13th minute to produce a shot, albeit a weak one off target from Steve Tosh.
The horrendous overhead conditions were hindering both sides from finding any kind of flow to their game, though, and it soon descended into a scrappy affair.
However, the Bairns made the breakthrough with eight minutes of the first half remaining when Barrett, running away from goal in the box, was stupidly hauled to the deck by Craig Barr.
Referee Charlie Richmond didn't hesitate in pointing to the spot and showing the defender a yellow card, and Arfield sent Robinson the wrong way to dispatch the penalty kick into the bottom right corner.
Yet, just as Falkirk looked destined to lead at the break, the First Division side were back on level terms four minutes later.
Poor defending saw the ball drop to Wilson and he lashed an unstoppable, deflected shot from the edge of the box past the diving Robert Olejnik and into the net.
Worse was to come for Falkirk, two minutes after the re-start, when Barr brought down Stewart Kean on the edge of the box, conceding a dangerous free-kick.
And Harris curled a cracking shot past the wall and into the top left corner.
But the lead was to only last 120 seconds as Neil McCann crossed from the left and the ball broke to Arfield, who sent a low shot into the net for the equaliser.
It was a frantic spell in an otherwise poor game. Indeed, the next chance wasn't until the 64th minute when Lee Bullen's raking cross to the back post saw Higdon stretch to head goalward, but it ended up going inches wide of the left post.
Hughes introduced Mark Stewart for the lacklustre O'Brien and, seconds later, the Bairns were in front.
McCann chipped into the box and picked out Barr, who side footed a shot towards the bottom left corner.
Robinson did well to block his effort but Barrett was on hand to dispatch the rebound home and hand his side the lead again.
Falkirk finally started to come alive and Kevin McBride was next to try his luck on goal with a low shot from 18 yards that Robinson held at the second attempt.
Queens boss Gordon Chisholm sent on two forwards, Stephen Dobbie and Sean O'Connor, in search of another equaliser.
But it was the home side that should have extended their lead in the 76th minute. Higdon headed Barrett's cross off the bar and somehow, with the goal at his mercy, blasted the rebound over.
At the other end, Kean sent a diving header from O'Connor just wide. Yet Falkirk did go further ahead with nine minutes remaining when Stewart sprinted forward and evaded at least three challenges before squaring to Barrett who made no mistake, coolly slotting past the diving Robinson.
"We didn't test their keeper enough in the first half but did in the second and all credit goes to my players for scoring four goals," said Hughes.
"Getting the second so soon after Queen of the South went ahead was the impetus we needed and we dug in after that.
"I'm delighted to be in the next round and will be looking for another home tie when the draw is made on Sunday."