Dunfermline 1 Falkirk 2: Naughty and Nautical Bairns - Watch it again weekend, April 2017

You voted to re-live the match where Craig Sibbald silenced East End Park and Myles Hippolyte was banned for simulation in the olatest Watch It Again weekend with FalkirkTV. Here’s our match report from April 2017.
Penalty to Falkirk, Sean Murdoch 1 on Myles Hippolyte 11. Picture: Michael Gillen.Penalty to Falkirk, Sean Murdoch 1 on Myles Hippolyte 11. Picture: Michael Gillen.
Penalty to Falkirk, Sean Murdoch 1 on Myles Hippolyte 11. Picture: Michael Gillen.

Fans came by boat to see Falkirk at Dunfermline, but it was the Pars players and fans going overboard after a DIVE in the box by Myles Hippolyte.

The substitute tumbled head-over-heels beside SeanMurdoch,the Pars goalie, who had slid at his feet and slapped the ball away as Aaron Muirhead’s deflected shot spun towards him.

Craig Sibbald had the last word after attracting criticism throughout the game from the home support.  Picture: Michael Gillen.Craig Sibbald had the last word after attracting criticism throughout the game from the home support.  Picture: Michael Gillen.
Craig Sibbald had the last word after attracting criticism throughout the game from the home support. Picture: Michael Gillen.
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Hippolyte’s flip in the meetingof the two persuaded Gavin Duncan to award a penalty kick and it suddenly swung momentum in Falkirk’s favour.

Dunfermline players let it affect them too, and they lost their heads after a disciplined first half where they deservedly led.

What Pars fans and players – incredulous at the decision – seem to forget is that their player was CAUGHT diving too.

Two wrongs don’t make a right and Hippolyte received a retrospective suspension, but it’s probably a price all of Falkirk would pay to seal three valuable points,maintain second spot and kill their rivals faint promotion fancy dead in the water.

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It was a gamble by the winger, and one that paid off in points for Falkirk. They’re even more valuable given Dundee United’s late win over St Mirren, and keep the Bairns second in the league and on-course for the coveted bye in the playoffs.

It’s entirely in their own hands, but as has been said many times this season – they can’t afford to start matches as slowly as they did at East End Park. Yet maybe they can, as the poor offering first half turned on its head in the frantic period just after the break.

Peter Houston’s substitutions triggered the change, replacing Mark Kerr with Hippolyte–and the captain received a standing ovation for his hour in the middle. He was lucky to have survived half an hour after an horrific late challenge on Andy Geggan the home skipper,–notmalicious, just late – that caught him on the ankle and brought a yellow card.

It was the most action to that point in the first half where passes were either lumped too far in front of target, or control let players on both sides down on a hard pitch.

But Dunfermline took the lead with nine minutes to play.

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Luke Leahy was beaten in the air and as Peter Grant turned to appeal for a free-kick, it gave Nicky Clark a split-second to pause and blast by Robbie Thomson just inside the box.

“I thought it was eachy peachy up until Nicky Clark scored a good goal,” admitted Peter Houston. “What was concerning me was we weren’t causing them enough problems.”

He rectified that with his changes. Maybe it was rope-a-dope, maybe it was correcting a selection error. Where you stand on the boss will reflect in your answer, but regardless,it worked.

Within minutes Hippolyte had flipped in the box and Muirhead had slammed the penalty away. Furious Dunfermline made two changes and one, Callum Morris for Lewis Martin didn’t workout.

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A kick out from sub keeper David Hutton was headed forward by the incredible Luca Gasparotto, and set John Baird scampering. He got the better of the Pars substitute, who pulled him back on the edge of the box and was red-carded.

It was well and truly Falkirk’s game to win now and they dulydid.

Hippolyte smacked the wall with his set-piece and James Craigen followed up with a wicked volley that smackedthe post andhad the huge visiting support roaring for more. They got it not long after.

Another ovation saw Lee Miller depart for Nathan Austin and the sub was only on three minutes when he headed a Craig Sibbald cross past Hutton for the comeback winner.

There were post-match remonstrations with ref Duncan and the Pars,but it was all smiles as wide asthe Clyde (or should that be Forth) for the visitors.

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