Match Report
Saturday, 19th July, 2025
by Ben Kearney
FALKIRK FAIL TO FIND GOALS AGAINST COVE RANGERS BUT SECURE BONUS POINT
Falkirk secure bonus point after penalty shoot-out success against Cove Rangers following bore draw in Premier Sports Cup.
Falkirk manager John McGlynn says he isn’t worried about his side’s goal-shy showing away to Cove Rangers on Saturday afternoon in the Premier Sports Cup.
The Bairns drew 0-0 at the Balmoral Stadium with Paul Hartley’s Scottish League One outfit - with a string of ex-Bairns, including goalkeeper Robbie Mutch, impressing against their old team by putting on a solid defensive showing. And despite dominating from start to finish, Falkirk couldn’t find a goal and had had to settle for penalties.
Scott Bain managed to make two stops during the shoot-out to earn his side a bonus second point from the trip after Liam Henderson, Ross MacIver, Brad Spencer and Gary Oliver all converted to see Falkirk move to five points from two outings with two games to go, putting their chances of topping the group very much still in their own hands.
MCGLYNN ‘NOT BOTHERED’ ABOUT FALKIRK’S LACK OF GOALS
“We dominated the game from start to finish,” McGlynn said. “The only thing we missed was goals. To be fair to Cove, they defended very well, they’ve set up from kick off to get a nil-nil and they’ve managed to do that. They blocked shots and when they didn’t do that then the goalkeeper made the saves required. Sometimes you can’t do much more if the goalkeeper is pulling off great saves. On another day, we win two or three nil and you go down the road happy. The guys put in every bit the usual amount of effort into it and you can’t ask for any more in that regard. The frustration comes from not finding that spark in front of goal to win the game. But it is hard to be critical, we scored seven goals in our last game. We managed to get another clean sheet. I am not really bothered about it. I don’t think we’ll have many games like that this season.”
Full-back Keelan Adams missed out on the trip to Aberdeen but the boss confirmed that it was good news on that front with the ex-Cumbernauld Colts ace close to returning.
Giving an injury update, McGlynn said: “Keelan Adams picked up a groin injury last weekend. Finn Yeats had surgery and will be 12 weeks, same goes for Barney Stewart. As for Keelan, he has a chance of being available for Tuesday night against Queen’s Park.”