Falkirk 0-1 Dundee United: Bairns made to rue calamitous first-half error in Viaplay Cup clash

The Bairns went into the Viaplay Cup Group B match knowing that a positive result would put them in pole position to qualify for the second round, but they couldn’t repeat the feat of last year’s win over Hibs in the same stage of the competition.

Despite a decent opening from the home side, Mathew Cudjoe had the first real chance of the match for United when he cut inside and forced Sam Long into a smart stop.

From the resulting clearance by the goalkeeper, the Bairns surged up the other end, with Callum Morrison testing Jack Walton in net.

The visitors edged in front on 28 minutes, taking advantage of a massive error by summer signing Tom Lang.

He looked to pass back to his goalkeeper from an impossible angle out wide and ex-Falkirk loanee Kai Fotheringham got the better of Long at the other end to slot home into an empty net.

The defender’s pass was straight into the path of the midfielder, who calmly finished past Long, who couldn’t adjust his feet in time.

Soon after, it could have been two when Tony Watt was played in one-on-one by another former Falkirk loanee, Archie Meekison. Luckily for the Bairns, the striker took a heavy touch allowing Long to smother the ball.

Just before the break, McGlynn’s men did have a great chance to level the match when Morrison cut back for Gary Oliver just outside the area.

However, the attacker got his curling effort all wrong and it sailed well over the goal.

In the second half, Falkirk improved vastly, mainly due to a tactical switch seeing Finn Yeats move into midfield while Brad McKay came on for him at right-back, with Ola Lawal departing.

Morrison then forced Walton into a stunning low save from a free kick as the home suit hunted for a leveller.In the 75th minute, the best chance of the match came to Falkirk when Brad McKay was found at the back post. His header was too close to the English goalkeeper, who collected the ball.

Then in the dying moments, Alfredo Agyeman cut inside and had a great chance to shot at goal, but he took too long on the ball and allowed Scott McCann to clear.

Teams

Falkirk: Long, Yeats, Donaldson, Lang, McCann, McGinn, Oliver, Lawal, Agyeman, Morrison, MacIver.

Subs: Hayward, Henderson, McKay, Miller, Allan, Honeyman, Walker, Sinclair.

Dundee United: Walton, Holt, Graham, Sibbald, Meekison, Fotheringham (28’), Freeman, Docherty, Cudjoe, Watt, McMann.

Subs: Newman, Denham, Niskanen, Grimshaw, Middleton, Glass, Duffy, MacLeod, Thomson.

Referee: David Munro.