Relichtie
Memorable
matches
March 30 2001. Falkirk 1-3 Arbroath. Scottish League Division 1
This was the match that all but assured that the club would survive in the 1st Division at least for another season at least. Before the match we sat 5 points in front of the Bairns, so defeat would have cut that to 2, but a win would stretch the gap to 8, and with only 4 games left the importance of the result spoke for itself.
This was my second visit of the season to Brockville. On the previous visit, the lichties had twice fought back from a goal down only to be denied a deserved draw when Falkirk scored in the final minute to win 3-2. Was today to be sweet revenge? You bet it was!
Falkirk knew what they had to do, and took the initiative and opened the scoring in 14 mins with a strike from Millar. Not the best of starts then! Two minutes though, we were level. Paul Brownlie took a throw in on the left hand side, which was nodded into the danger area by McKinnon, the ball fell to Ritchie, whose shot was blocked, but the ball fell kindly to Rowe, who slotted home from a few yards out. Big Geordie had scored an own goal on our last visit, so it was great to see him score at the right end this time. Moss of Falkirk was then red carded when he elbowed Cusick, but there were no more goals before half time.
The second half started with both teams going for broke with some tough tackles flying around, and it became clear that someone was going to follow Moss, but it was a rather innocuous challenge by McGlashan which earned him a second booking, and the inevitable red card.
Some astute use of the subs by boss Brownlie then paid off. Heenan, who had replaced McKinnon broke away on the left and when he was closed down passed the ball inside to MacAulay, who had replaced Cusick, and he swept the ball in at the keepers right hand post.
When Andy Cargill headed, yes that's right headed, another moments later from a Bayne cross, we were in heaven. Mathematically we weren't safe, but we were fourth in the league with 44 points, and we KNEW THAT WE WOULD STAY UP. A great achievement for the only part time side in the 1st Division.
Falkirk - Hill, Rennie, McQuilken, Lawrie, Brown, Kerr (Morris), Craig, Tano (Rodgers), Millar, Moss, Waddell (McStay).
Arbroath - Hinchcliffe, Tait, Moffat (Florence), Rowe, Ritchie, Cusick (MacAulay), Brownlie, Cargill, Bayne, McGlashan, McKinnon (Heenan).
Referee M. Ritchie.
Attendance 2634