Match Report

Wednesday, 28th June, 2023

by Ben Kearney

Jordan Allan double earns Bairns victory in friendly opener

A Jordan Allan double earned Falkirk a 2-1 victory in their pre-season opener against Scottish Lowland Football League outfit Civil Service Strollers on Tuesday night.

Gary Jardine's side started the match well and took advantage of calamitous defending in the Bairns backline to take the lead.

Coll Donaldson and Leon McCann were both at fault as Innes Lawson fired home past Nicky Hogarth.

And the hosts continued to look comfortable, holding their own against the League One side, who were restricted to limited chances in the first half.

The best chance for John McGlynn's men came just before the break when Ross MacIver headed over the bar at the back post from a lofted Calvin Miller cross.

In the second half, the Bairns made a host of changes, and they looked sharper on the ball.

Gary Oliver was close to levelling the match when he smashed an effort off the post after great work from strike-partner Allan on the touchline.

Falkirk finally found an equaliser when youngster Scott Honeyman, who impressed on loan at East Stirlingshire last season, caught out a sleeping Stollers' defence.

The winger beat two men and got to the touchline, cutting back to Allan who fired home in the box to level.

And with moments left, Allan netted his second goal of the game to snatch a win for John McGlynn's team.

Once again, it was a youngster producing the goods.

This time around, the impressive Pearse Carroll fed the ball through to Allan - who chipped the Strollers' goalkeeper calmly to score.

First-half starting eleven: Hogarth, Yeats, Donaldson, Lang, McCann, Morrison, Spencer, McGinn, Miller, Agyeman, MacIver.

Second-half starting eleven (substituted on): Hogarth, Yeats, McKay, Lang (Sinclair), Mackie, Miller (Carroll), McGinn (Henderson), Lawal, Morrison (Honeyman), Oliver, Allan.