National 2: Falkirk 'need to sort out' penalty count heading into top-of-the-table Lasswade clash

Gregor Dodd in action for Falkirk against Kirkcaldy as the Horne Park side ran out 31-28 winners in the Tennent’s National League Division 2 (Pictures: Gordon Honeyman)

The Horne Park side, currently second in the table four points behind leaders Lasswade with a game in hand, secured their five points when Connor Faulds scored with five minutes to go.

And they now host Midlothian outfit Lasswade this Saturday in what could go a long way to deciding who lifts the trophy this campaign, with Falkirk having narrowly missed out on promotion last year on the final.

“It will be a tough game,” Falkirk’s director of rugby Kenny Grieve said ahead of the crunch tie. “No match is easy in this league. We’ll need to be on point and we cannot give them opportunities. They are a big, big side up top so we need to make sure we don’t play into a trap. If we let them maul us then it will be a tough day at the office.

Falkirk ace Kieran Ross darts by his Kirkcaldy opponent

“But if we keep them moving and keep turning them, then we will be fine. If we play the way we can play, we can beat anyone. I do think we can be comfortable but the truth is that it will be a hard day so we need to be at our best.”

And looking back on that late victory against Quintan Sanft’s Kirkcaldy, Grieve was pleased with the side’s attacking play but was left irked by the amount of penalties conceded at Beveridge Park.

He said: We started off well. For the opening ten minutes, they didn’t really touch the ball in all honesty. We were good in the first half. Second half was a different story.

"We let them back into the game and we took our foot of the pedal a wee bit. We were actually behind 28-26 but we managed to get another score.

Callum Hunter is hauled down for Falkirk against Kirkcaldy

“Every single time we went into their zone we came away with points which was pleasing. We are very good attacking-wise but we need to cut out our penalty count.

“It is ridiculous in all honesty. We gave away more penalties than them and it something that we are going to have a chat about at training because it must change.

"We are shooting ourselves in the foot. The guys know that too, and on Saturday, we need to make sure that we don’t give Lasswade an advantage.”

Saturday’s match at Horne Park is a 2pm kick-off.