Falkirk FC: Manager John McGlynn reveals his skipper will be rested for home game against Kelty Hearts

The veteran midfielder, 34, is running on empty after playing 38 times in league and cup fixtures for the Bairns this season and will sit out the fixture against John Potter’s side.

“We’ll leave Stephen out tomorrow,” McGlynn said. “He has a knee that kind of flares up.

"He’s had this in the past and it means that his hamstring is not really getting strengthened.

"He’s played a hell of a lot of games for us. He’s played a hell of a lot of minutes and before we go into this run of playing matches Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, we think we just need to take our foot off the gas a little bit, let him recuperate and let him get a little bit more strength in his hamstring.”

Other than McGinn’s absence, McGlynn said the squad was looking “good” to face Kelty, a side who have beaten Falkirk twice this season (2-0 at Kelty on September 3 and 3-2 at Falkirk on October 22), before scoring first in an eventual 2-1 Falkirk win at Kelty on February 4.

The second-placed Bairns go into the match nine points behind leaders Dunfermline Athletic with eight league fixtures remaining this season.

"We just want to get as many points as we can,” McGlynn said. “Obviously we slipped up at the weekend and there you go, Dunfermline dropped points (in a 0-0 draw at home to Edinburgh City) and we’ve not managed to cash in.

"You never know. We try to win every game.

"We had been on a great run but on Saturday unfortunately we’ve had an off day and we’ve managed to fall further behind.

"But the guys have been so consistent for a right good little period, particularly in 2023, but we weren’t at the levels we’re used to being at.

"I think the game on the Monday night must have taken a hell of a lot out of us. We looked very leggy.

"We want to bounce back. We’ve got a game tomorrow night against Kelty who have been a difficult opponent for us all season.

"They have beaten us twice, we won the last game at their place.

"They got beat at the weekend too. I’m sure John’s looking for a response from his team as well.”