Coventry loanee Blaine Rowe hails 'special' Falkirk team as he looks forward to Ayr reunion

The right back has impressed since joining in January and helped his team-mates defeat Darvel 5-1 on Monday night in the Scottish Cup – sealing a quarter-final match-up with Ayr United.

Rowe, 20, told the Falkirk Herald post match: “It feels unreal. We prepared for the game so well and we knew everything about them. It was four days of constant video footage and we thoroughly went through Darvel’s team. We knew them inside out in all honesty.

“That’s how they didn’t really hurt us at all. They got one lucky goal from PJ’s (Morrison) mistake but these things happen in football and you need to pick yourself back up again.

“We are solid defensively and we have so much quality on the ball. The wide men and forwards will always create something. It is a special team to be a part of and I am honestly just so happy here.”

The defender also enjoyed the surroundings at the packed Recreation Park, with the tie also shown live on the BBC.

He added: “I’ve loved the close aspect of some of the grounds too. I have actually really enjoyed having fans right up at you saying not nice things about you. They try to get under your skin but I just laugh it off and it is building my mentality.

“It is so different up here compared to English football. I feel like the tempo is quicker and the match was played at 100 miles an hour. Players are right on you."

Rowe’s only other spell in Scottish football was an ill-fated loan period at Falkirk’s next opponents Ayr United. He was signed by current boss Lee Bullen but saw his spell hampered by an injury sustained soon after joining.

And he is looking forward to reuniting with the Honest Men.

“I am looking forward to the Ayr match,” he said. “It is a massive chance to go to Hampden and it is a winnable game for us - if we give them the same respect and analyse them properly and know exactly what they are going to do on the park.

“The fans have been great to me here and I am loving it. They say so many nice things to me and I just love that part of football. It is what makes football worthwhile.”