Preview Falkirk

Irn Bru Cup Second Round: 3.00pm kick off at The Falkirk Stadium, Saturday 7th October

The last visit to the Falkirk Stadium in February resulted in a 2-1 home win but the form of both sides has changed around since then and Dunfermline travel across the Kincardine Bridge confident that it is possible to win a cup tie in Falkirk for just the second time ever. The only cup success in Falkirk came in September 1966!

 .The usual warm Falkirk welcome can be expected from the Bairns fans but this is a match that the away fans can travel to very hopeful that they could witness their team`s first win at the Falkirk Stadium since March 2011.

The last cup success over Falkirk was a 2-0 win in October 2002. . The most recent cup meeting was in this competition under its Petrofac Training Cup title in August 2014. . The Bairns won 2-1 that night thanks to two Tom Taiwo goals within five second half minutes. . The Pars replied with a goal from Andy Geggan but could not find another.

In the League Cup the previous season, the Pars were unlucky again losing 2-1 after putting up a great second half fight. Prior to that the previous cup meeting was at Hampden in the Scottish Cup Semi Final of 2009 when Falkirk advanced to the final as a consequence of a 2-0 victory. .

The Pars 3-1 win over Falkirk on 19th August was the first Dunfermline win in 11 tries. Falkirk have won 8 of the last 12 meetings in league and cup. .

Last Meeting at Falkirk Stadium
2nd February 2017
Falkirk 2 Dunfermline 0

Falkirk were to take a 34th minute lead when a free kick from the left was nodded back across goal by Lee Miller and John BAIRD had the relatively easy conversion from close on. 1-0

Falkirk piled on the pressure late in the second half and scored a second goal in 77th minute. The Pars ran out of defenders as shots were blocked and Hippolyte was left to crash the ball in towards goal. Baird looked like he had scored but between Murdoch and the crossbar the ball kept out only for MILLER to stab the ball home. 2-0

FALKIRK: Danny Rogers: Aaron Muirhead, Paul Watson, Peter Grant, Luke Leahy (Tony Gallacher 87): James Craigen, Joe McKee, Craig Sibbald, Myles Hippolyte, Lee Miller (Nathan Austin 89), John Baird (Bob McHugh 87)
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Kidd, Luca Gasparotto, Scott Shepherd, Robbie Thomson (GK)

DUNFERMLINE: Sean Murdoch: Andy Geggan (c), Lee Ashcroft, Callum Morris, Jason Talbot: Paul McMullan (David Hopkirk 63), John Herron (Joe Cardle 81), Nat Wedderburn, Kallum Higginbotham: Nicky Clark, Michael Moffat (Gavin Reilly 63).
SUBS NOT USED: Rhys McCabe, Lewis Martin, Michael Paton, David Hutton (GK)

Recent Form

Falkirk`s win over Morton on Saturday was their first league win of the season. Their league form has come as a bit of a surprise after winning four our of four in the Betfred Cup at the start of the season. Bad though things may seem at The Falkirk Stadium Falkirk have lost just one of their last five matches.

Dunfermline have lost only three of their fifteen matches this season against Rangers, Morton and Dundee United and they will be keen to bounce back from their first home defeat of the season last Saturday.

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Dundee United): Sean Murdoch: Ryan Williamson, Callum Morris (c), Lee Ashcroft, Jason Talbot: Kallum Higginbotham, Nat Wedderburn, Dean Shiels (Aaron Splaine 65), David Hopkirk (Callum Smith HT): Declan McManus (Andy Ryan 82), Nicky Clark.
SUBS NOT USED: Lewis Martin, Fraser Aird, Scott Lochhead, Cammy Gill (GK).

FALKIRK (v St Mirren): David Mitchell: Jordan McGhee, Aaron Muirhead, Peter Grant, Conred Balatoni, Joe McKee, Tom Taiwo (Cameron Blues 82), Mark Kerr, Alex Harris, Nathan Austin (Lee Miller 55), Kevin O`Hara (Scott Shepherd 83)
SUBS NOT USED: Tony Gallacher, James Craigen, Myles Hippolyte, Robbie Thomson (GK).

From last Saturday`s squad, Dunfermline will be missing four players away on international duty - Ryan Williamson with Scotland U21s, Callum Smith with Scotland U19s, Callum Morris with Northern Ireland and Fraser Aird with Canada.

Referee will be Steven McLean.