Falkirk FC: Left back Leon McCann says Bairns are best footballing side in League One

A run of eight wins in their last nine league and cup games – culminating in Saturday’s 1-0 home success against Alloa Athletic – is in stark contrast to the Bairns’ opening few weeks of 2022-2023 which saw them win just three of their first seven league fixtures.

“It’s tough to put your finger on why our form has improved in recent weeks,” McCann said. "Because the team we’re playing with is the same boys that were there since the summer.

"It’s not like we’ve had a full new clear-out of any of the boys. I think it just took us time to gel together and get the correct system and correct players in the team.

"The more you play together and win together, the better the chemistry gets.

"Everybody’s playing a part this season, we’ve all been excellent and so far it’s been a positive season.

"From the start of the season I would say we’ve always been the best footballing team in the league.

"But we could just never get that consistency. We now seem to have that consistency and will to win and we just seem to find a way to win.

"The best teams in the world are like that. You always remember Man United under Sir Alex Ferguson.

"I’m not trying to compare us to them because they were a wee bit next level but the way we are playing just now, we’re all full of confidence.”

Heading into this weekend, second-placed Falkirk are now only five points behind leaders Dunfermline Athletic with 12 league games remaining.

McCann said: “Our new signings in January have all settled in well and I think they are going to help us massively to challenge Dunfermline.

"Our consistency wasn’t there at the start of the season which is why there is a gap to Dunfermline, but we’re now closing that gap and we’re on great form.

"So we’re just hoping we can keep winning until the game comes around with Dunfermline (at East End Park on Tuesday, March 7).

"And by that time hopefully we can beat them.

"The first game we played against Dunfermline (a 1-1 draw at East End Park last September), we definitely should have won. So we definitely owe them one.”