Falkirk Rugby Club: Injuries hit chances of win, says Grieve

The fourth-placed hosts were pinned back for most of the second half, but they held out for a win.

Grieve was happy to have at least picked up two bonus points, saying it was the least his side deserved on the day.

“We started the game brilliantly and got off the mark straight away,” he said.

“It sounds daft but it probably didn’t help us at all, and at the moment we keep doing the same things.

“We did okay for ten minutes. After that, then we lost control.

“For the next half an hour, we didn’t touch the ball and we went in at half-time having conceded three scores.

“We were rocking at that point and we did well just to stay within touching distance.”

He lamented the injury crisis besetting Falkirk at the moment, saying it was big factor in how the game panned out.

“We lost Stewart McCulloch during the warm-up. He pulled up with a rib injury, so that put us down to 18,” he explained.

“Then in the first half, we lost another player due to a back issue, so we were down to 17 players.

“In that group, we had four step up from the 2nd XV who came in and did really well, but it always takes time to bed in these players.”

The second half saw Falkirk unlucky not to come away with a victory.

“We dominated parts of the second half and we were really unlucky,” Grieve said.

“The younger lads did a great job handling the difference in speed and physicality, but it took a good period for them all to settle into the match.”

Falkirk’s 2nd XV won 24-22 against Carnoustie to keep their league title hopes alive as they went eight matches unbeaten.

Grieve said: “They are getting along so well at the moment and it is the sign of a good side to win when it wasn’t maybe deserved.

“They showed character and the coaching team will have a lot to go over with them.

“That is a good thing, though. They need to keep learning.”

The 1st XV now face Newton Stewart on Saturday at home in the league as they look to leapfrog them in the table.