Falkirk 3-1 Peterhead: Hosts dominate to pick up first win of the league campaign

After a first-half stoppage time sucker punch from Max Gillies, strikes from Ryan Williamson, Callumn Morrison and Gary Oliver sealed a deserved three points.

Early on in the match, it felt like it could be another one of those days for John McGlynn’s men with Morrison and Juan Alegria having numerous chances but failing to convert them.

The Blue Toon goalkeeper Jack Newman put in a superb display, producing a number of strong saves.

Former Falkirk defender Paul Dixon nearly put the home side ahead on 18 minutes with a clearance that just went wide of the post.

Then moments later, Morrison had a header crash off the upright after a chipped ball from Aidan Nesbitt.

Alegria and Morrison once again found themselves in front of goal time and time, but they still couldn’t find a way to goal.

The best of those chances was a downward header from Rangers loanee Alegria on 39 minutes – with Newman somehow getting down low to divert the effort out for a corner.

Peterhead looked unable to get out their own half, but moments from the break they burst forward and shocked the home crowd.

Out of nowhere, Conor O’Keefe’s low cross met Max Gillies, who slotted home under debutant Nicky Hogarth’s legs to give them the lead.

Falkirk came out of the traps in the second half much like the first and totally dominated.

On the hour mark, Morrison finally grabbed a well-deserved goal.

Nesbitt’s over-the-top ball was inch-perfect and it allowed the former Hearts winger to run onto the ball.

He drove forward and finished into the top corner with an outside-of-the-boot effort.

Peterhead struggled to live with Falkirk and chance after chance went begging.

Finn Yeats had a brilliant chance to get on the scoresheet on 79 minutes when he was played in one-on-one.

He placed his effort into the far corner but once against Newman produced a brilliant save.

Jim McInally’s side then went down to ten men with ten minutes to go.

O’Keefe swiped at Leon McCann in frustration, wiping out the full-back and he was given his marching orders.

Then, in injury-time, substitute Gary Oliver grabbed his first Falkirk goal.

The former Morton striker was in the right place at the right time to head home from a few yards.

The Bairns now take on FC Edinburgh away from next weekend looking to build on a solid performance.

Teams

Falkirk: Nicky Hogarth, Ryan Williamson, Coll Donaldson, Sean Mackie, Leon McCann, Finn Yeats, Stephen McGinn, Steven Hetherington, Aidan Nesbitt, Juan Alegria, Callumn Morrison.

Subs: Paddy Martin, Craig McGuffie, Jaime Wilson, Gary Oliver, Blair Sneddon, Ola Lawal, Pearse Carroll.

Peterhead: Jack Newman, Andrew McDonald, Paul Dixon, Max Gillies, Ryan Strachan, Euan Murray, Jack Brown, Robbie Scullion, Conor O’Keefe, Ryan Dow, Ola Adeyemo.

Subs: Jordan Brown, Robbie McGale, David Wilson, Jack Wilkie, Daniel Strachan, Cody McLeod, Sandy Wood.