Ethan Ross says Falkirk team-mates will take on board John McGlynn’s criticism as winger eyes return to starting XI.

Ethan Ross says his Falkirk team-mates are more than happy to take on board boss John McGlynn’s criticism ahead of this Saturday’s trip to Dundee United.

The newly-promoted Bairns sit fifth in the Scottish Premiership and are one of the form teams in the top flight following three wins and two draws in their last six league outings. But they did conceded a crushing late leveller to bottom club Livingston last time at home just before the international break. And McGlynn made it known after the 1-1 draw that he was hoping for much more from his substitutes.

Falkirk found themselves a goal ahead through Brian Graham’s first-half penalty but they couldn’t build on that in the second half, allowing Livingston to take control. McGlynn used up his five substitutions, including brining on Ross, and the winger admitted: “It’s fair enough, what the gaffer said. The manager always demands high standards. And he wants the subs to make an impact. We didn’t hit the heights that we could have collectively (the subs who came on). I include myself in that. The boys in the first half set the standard and they need that bit of help in the second half after a really challenging run of games. The gaffer goes over the things that we didn’t do so well and we always take that on board.”

On the 1-1 draw, the 24-year-old added: “It felt like two points dropped. But that’s when you are hurting after the match. When you look back you think of it as a point gained. You look at our recent run and you have to be happy with the points we’ve picked up so far in the league, the table doesn’t like. In the second half, we didn’t get a grip of the game. That’s the big frustration. We didn’t hold on at the end but really we didn’t hold on for any decent spell (in the second half). There is so long to go but there is a really good vibe around the club and in the changing room. The boys who have come in have been great additions to the squad and have really bought into the big personality that we have as a group.”

Ross now reckons that is close to getting back to his best following a tough early-season injury ruled him out for almost three months. He surprisingly returned to the Bairns’ starting XI for the trip to Celtic and managed 45 minutes before getting time off the bench during the past two home games. And during the international break - he got more minutes during a 3-1 friendly loss against Ayr United.

“I feel like I am getting there now,” Ross said. “It can be hard to hit that sharpness and speed that you had pre-injury without taking a bit of time. I know that I am getting. I am capable of more and I feel like I am now getting near that peak. The international break was big for me and I managed to get a friendly under my belt. I have confidence in my own ability and I know that I can compete at this level. It was a real setback being injured at the start of the season just when I was really making an impact.”