McGlynn talks possession game and a lack belief from the players after boring draw opens league campaign

The Bairns had been installed as the bookies’ favourites to top the table this season in League 1 ahead of the campaign opener, but the result today just highlights the amount of work that is still required, according to the boss.

“It was frustrating overall because I know that we are much better than that,” he said of the performance. “Individually we didn’t show enough quality.

"In the final third especially we failed in terms of providing that quality.

“When you aren’t having a good day, you don’t look for the ball as much, and then the options on the ball for the other guy become limited.

“We have to work harder at it clearly and the players need to show more belief in themselves.

“The endeavour, work rate and battling is all there already but they didn’t have that magic moment.”

Having won plaudits as Raith Rovers manager for how his Stark’s Park side played football, he hasn’t been able to get free-flowing football from his Falkirk side yet – outwith a first-half masterclass against Hibs.

"That performance shows that we can do it,” McGlynn added. “So far that is the only time really we have got the ball down and played.

"Even last weekend against Clyde, I don’t quite think we got going in that one either.

“I know we can play better and we want to play a possession based game, but to do that we actually need to pass the ball to each other more.

“The clean sheet is the only plus, at the other end we just didn’t do enough. We made good blocks and PJ didn’t have much to do again.

“Aidan Nesbitt missed a chance that should have been a goal and the Montrose goalkeeper made a couple of saves, but that was it.

“If we could have got that goal from his chance, in front of a really amazing 3,600 strong crowd, it would have been a different game.

“We turned the ball over far too many times.”

Elsewhere in the league, rivals Dunfermline narrowly won 1-0 over Alloa Athletic, but the shock of the day came at Palmerston with Clyde running out 4-1 winners over Queen of the South.

"It is a tough league and everyone knows that,” McGlynn said.

“That was the first match of 35, but we know we need to do better than that if we want to challenge up the top end of the table.

“All of the players know that and the early bonus of the league cup should have seen us come into the game with confidence.

“But, we didn’t quite look like that.

“Nobody will run away with it. Edinburgh got a good win today, Danny Lennon will be delighted with their win.

"Dunfermline scraped through and Airdrie got a good result up at Peterhead.”