Falkirk manager John McGlynn has demanded his side become more streetwise after another late collapse cost them a vital victory. The Bairns conceded a 96th-minute free-kick to draw 1-1 with ten-man St Johnstone, a result that leaves them 11th in the Premiership on just six points from seven games.
Ethan Ross had put Falkirk ahead on the hour mark, capitalising on a red card shown to Saints defender Cheick Diabate seven minutes earlier. The 25-year-old finished smartly after a setup from Derby County loanee Owen Eames. Despite the numerical advantage, Falkirk failed to kill the game and were punished when Aodhan Doherty fouled on the edge of the area, allowing Enes Alić to curl home the equaliser with virtually the final touch.
Self-inflicted wounds
McGlynn was blunt in his assessment, placing responsibility squarely on his players. "There’s nobody to blame but ourselves," he said. "They tried to throw bodies forward and managed to get a point from it when we should be coming away with all three." This frustration is compounded by a similar scenario earlier this month, where Falkirk also conceded a late leveller in a 1-1 draw at Dundee United.
The manager highlighted the cumulative cost of these dropped points. "We’ve dropped two points here with the last kick of the ball and at Tannadice against Dundee United," McGlynn noted. "We could be sitting in a very comfortable position in the league. But we have to lick our wounds now." The team now heads into a three-week international break sitting second from bottom, with a goal difference of minus three after scoring six and conceding nine.
Mirroring last season's start
Despite the disappointment, McGlynn pointed out that Falkirk's current league position of 11th mirrors where they were at this stage last season, a campaign that ultimately proved successful. The recent 2-1 home win over Hearts showed their capability, but subsequent narrow losses to Celtic and Rangers, and a draw at Motherwell, have kept points scarce.
The club has organised bounce games during the break to maintain sharpness, with the first taking place on Monday. They will need all their players ready for a tough return to action, with key midfielder Joe Gardner currently sidelined. The next Premiership fixture is a home match against fourth-placed Dundee on October 10th, a key encounter in the fight to climb the table.
Falkirk's recent form reads one win, two draws and two losses from their last five outings. Securing back-to-back league wins remains an elusive target, and McGlynn's immediate task is to instil the game management that turns promising positions into three points.
The original report is at Falkirk Herald
