Falkirk 5-2 Queen of the South: Bairns come out on top of festive cracker

A double from the Bairns’ top goalscorer Callumn Morrison, and efforts from Juan Alegria, Rumarn Burrell and Liam Henderson sealed the three points – repelling a quick-fire double from Queens in the first half through Ruari Paton and Iain Wilson, that saw them leading the match until just before half-time struck.

John McGlynn’s side started the match well, and the visiting defence looked shaky from the off, with a Leon McCann cross nearly catching them napping early on.

Rangers loanee Alegria also let a one-on-one opportunity go begging when he took too long to get his strike away on the angle after beating the offside trap.

The Bairns finally grabbed the goal their play deserved in the 16th minute through Alegria, when he swept the ball home on the volley in the six-yard-box, flicking on a deflected cross.

However, a dishevelled period transpired for the hosts, with a horror two-minute spell giving Queens an unlikely lead in Falkirk.

A brilliant free kick from on-fo rm forward Paton levelled the match, with Iain Wilson then turning the game on its head straight from kick off in the 24th minute.

The ex-Dunfermline midfielder was given space to fire home low past PJ Morrison from just outside the area.

And it could have been a complete disaster for the Bairns heading into the break when Paton found himself free in the box from a corner kick.

His effort on the spin narrowly went wide of the bottom-left corner of the goal in a crowded penalty area.

However, it was Falkirk that would go in at the break with a slender lead.

Gary Oliver sent through an inch-perfect through ball into Morrison, who duly slotted home with real aplomb.

After the break, McGlynn’s side stepped it up and began to take control of the match.

Queens did well to clear on the line ten minutes into the second half from a low-driven effort, while Alegria also saw a chance go inexplicably begging.

In the 67th minute he had the chance to put his ahead from just a few yards out when he was fed from winger Morrison – but he somehow blasted over when it looked easier to score.

With Falkirk at that point starting at a third consecutive draw in a row on league duty, boss McGlynn made a key double change moments later.

Rumarn Burrell and Liam Henderson came onto the pitch for Alegria and Oliver.

And the move paid off with ten minutes left on the clock when striker Burrell swept home from inside the box, latching onto a smart pass from Morrison.

Then, just two minutes later, Henderson headed home from a corner kick to double Falkirk’s lead.

Man of the match Morrison made sure the Bairns year ended with a festive goal feast when he rounded off the scoring in the 86th minute.

His movement on the breakaway left the Queens defence wrong-footed, and he drove forward into the box and struck low past Max Currie.

John McGlynn’s side can now look forward to their new year derby with Dunfermline on the back of a win.

That match takes place on Monday, 2 January at East End Park, with kick off at 3pm.

Team

Falkirk: Hogarth, Yeats, Henderson, Mackie, McCann, McGinn, Oliver (Henderson), Nesbitt, Morrison, Alegria (Burrell), Kennedy (McGuffie).

Unused substitutes: Hogarth, Martin, Carroll, Ross.