'It is a backhanded compliment' - McGlynn on Pars boss McPake's formation, that his side need to 'face positively'

The Bairns boss leads his side into the match at East End Park seven points behind the League One table-toppers, with the Falkirk side in third place behind Edinburgh.

He said ahead of the match: “Dunfermline play the one formation against most teams but they change it up for us. That makes it a little bit more difficult to predict what they will do.

“It is a backhanded compliment. It isn’t the first time James (McPake) has done that. At Dundee when I worked with my previous club Raith Rovers, he set-up twice with Dundee in that way and even on the second last day of the season at Dens Park he still set-up like that.

“They won the game on a penalty from a handball and a set-play goal. We certainly weren’t outplayed but they found a way to win a game. We need to overcome that.

“I watched Dunfermline against Kelty and they do play some good stuff in that sort of shape too if you aren’t switched on.

“We need to counter their threats and be on the front foot.”

Boss McGlynn added: “It is a big game. We have to look at it from a positive frame of mind. Can we get that gap to four points? We’re looking at the equation that makes that happen, of course it could stay at seven points (the gap) or move to ten points, but we need to be positive.

“There has been nothing in both matches so far. I thought we were the better team in both matches actually. Dunfermline got the win in the last game and that is really important – because when you win a game you can say anything.

“We didn’t get to the standards I would that was also down to the way they played. You just have to take that on the chin, fair play.

“They are at home and they are going very well, but when you look at where they have dropped points this year, it has been at home more than away from home.

“We can probably put even more pressure on them at home. We will look to try and exploit that.”

Giving an injury update ahead of the match, he said: “I don’t think we’re going to have anyone back from our current injuries, so the squad will be similar to the one last time out against Queen of the South. Coll Donaldson will of course be back.”