MATCH REPORT: Dunfermline 0-1 Falkirk, Boxing Day 2012 - Watch it Again Weekend with Falkirk TV

Here is how Sports Editor David Oliver reported from the match that day.

Blair Alston handed Falkirk fans a late Christmas present as his late strike sealed victory over local rivals Dunfermline.

The midfielder snatched the points after an engrossing derby match spilled over midway through the first half.

Alston stroked home on the 90th minute after Lyle Taylor had crossed low into the box and gave Falkirk a deserved, but exhausting, victory.

The game was frantic and Jefferies was sent to the stand for complaints made to ref Stephen Finnie on the half hour - and he was joined eight minutes later by his right back who walked for grabbing Stewart Murdoch around the throat.

Josh Falkingham and Thomas Grant lit the touchpaper in a 50-50 in front of the Bairns’ dugout and as players piled in, Murdoch and the Pars man were booked before the defender walked.

Kieran Duffie was another who failed to finish the match, sent off for accumulating a yellow card in each half.

Falkirk were the brighter of the two sides for the opening quarter of an hour but only had a fizzing Jay Fulton strike that threatened to wiggle along the grass and inside the post on 15 minutes that was claimed by Paul Gallacher.

Composure on the ball, by Fulton and Murdoch, was an important facet to Falkirk’s play, especially in the intense atmosphere aided in no small part by a huge visiting support.

They were pumped up and vociferous, and so was Lyle Taylor.

The talismanic frontman became embroiled in a battle with John Potter on eight minutes when the Pars defender hauled him to the ground and held him there to Taylor’s grievance.

In response, Taylor lunged wildly in an attempted block and Potter vented his anger at both the striker and Stephen Finnie.Jim Jefferies did the same and earned himself a seat in the stand on the half-hour as tensions boiled.

It all added to the derby occasion match and it was pulsating throughout the first half.

Dunfermline forced their way into the game and Conor McGrandles had to be brave to head the ball clear from Ryan Wallace and took a kick in the back for his efforts.

Then, three minutes later in the 20th minute, Andy Geggan headed a Jordan McMillan cross narrowly over, then raced to the other end to head clear a Thomas Grant corner won by Blair Alston.

He should have scored, and so should Andy Barrowman when he peeled off Jonny Flynn to ghost a header across goal.

Falkirk though, have one of the best goalkeepers in the First Division, and McGovern proved it with a full-length two handed push off the line.

He was helpless on 33 minutes though when a Ryan Wallace strike careered off Kieran Duffie’s attempted block and spun wickedly over the goalkeeper, and onto the top of the bar.

Josh Falkingham fouled Thomas Grant and Stewart Murdoch flew in to remonstrate.

Jordan McMillan appeared to grab the midfielder around the neck and was sent off for his part in the melee.

After the break and with a man advantage it was all Falkirk, and Dunfermline looked to be losing their cool while the young Bairns stayed balanced.

But they regained composure to hang in the game.

Thomas Grant let a gilt-edged opportunity roll off his toe after a Lyle Taylor cutback, and the provider had a go himself, firing a Duffie cross to the edge of the box at goal, but the sting was taken out of the drive by Andy Dowie.

With the man advantage it was Falkirk looking composed in the second half, rolling the ball around between themselves with Dunfermline left defending for their lives at times.

Sean Higgins replaced Grant with 20 minutes remaining as Falkirk went for the win and without the sub touching the ball, the Bairns almost had the ball in the net.

Blair Alston kept the ball in and crossed for Jay Fulton.

The ball fell nicely for Alston following up and he juggled it from right foot to left but the volley was right down the goalkeeper’s throat.

Falkingham got in behind Duffie with five minutes to go after the right-back conceded possession and though Finnie played on after Duffie’s lunge he marked the incident.

Dunfermline’s winger got to the by-line and cut-back for sub Ryan Thomson to shoot, but a vital block by Stewart Murdoch kept the scores level, and the numbers were too as Finnie returned to Duffie after playing the advantage and showed the defender a second yellow card.

Instantly the Pars took life and Murdoch switched to right-back but it was to be the Bairns day with the Alston strike right on the 90th minute.