John McGlynn on Falkirk's 'different class' opening and why Partick Thistle draw has him encouraged ahead of League 1 campaign

The Bairns, who were down to ten-men for the final 25 minutes of the match after Brad Spencer's ordering off, earned a 2-2 draw at Firhill, before going on to prevail in the shoot-out 7-6.

Ex-Thistle striker Ross MacIver opened the scoring for Falkirk early on, with Thistle getting back into the game via a 66th minute screamer from Brian Graham – who netted from the resulting free kick caused by Spencer’s red card.

Alfredo Agyeman then scored a superb solo goal five minutes later, only for substitute James Lyon to dig out Thistle with well-taken volley in injury-time.

I was delighted to come here, against a Championship team like Partick Thistle, and play the way we did early on,” McGlynn said. “We were different class for the opening 35-odd minutes. We should have been further ahead than the one goal.

“In the last ten minutes of the half, Thistle could have equalised and (Harry) Milne should have scored with a header. They had another chance too through a mistake from Sam (Long) but overall it was excellent.

“Second half, with Thistle shooting down the slope, we expected them to come for us and they did. I felt like we did deal with everything up until the goal, it wasn’t like Sam (Long) was making save after save.

“They didn’t carve us open and the goal comes from our own doing. Sam (Long) tries to play a ball to Brad (Spencer) that I didn’t think was on at the time and it cost us going down to ten men and a goal.

“We had to shuffle the pack a little bit but once again we showed great character. We scored a great individual goal. Alfie (Agyeman) has that in the locker and he has produced it for us when it mattered. It was very welcome at the time.

“If only we could have defended that final moment. We defended the first ball from the free kick okay and headed it clear – but we just couldn’t get out in time to block it or we would have been sitting with three points at the top of the group.

"Sam (Long) redeemed himself a little bit with the three penalty saves. We take the extra point.”

Despite being shown a straight red in only his second Falkirk appearance, McGlynn hailed central-midfielder Brad Spencer for what he has brought to the heart of the team, and for what he has allowed to captain Stephen McGinn to do.

“Our performance was so encouraging going forward into the league campaign, which is our main focus," he said. “There were so many good signs.

"Brad Spencer and Stephen McGinn in there with Gary Oliver just playing in front was working a treat, the wide players have real pace and ability, Ross (MacIver) is continually grabbing goals and the defence looked solid.

“You can see what Brad (Spencer) brings in there, you can see what all of the new guys bring. I’m really pleased with the way we are developing.”

Meanwhile, Sean Mackie is set for a period out after picking a hamstring injury.