Falkirk v Peterhead

Recap

Falkirk                 3

Miller (9), McManus (25pen, 61)

Peterhead          0

A disappointing first half at The Falkirk Stadium aligned with a soft penalty decision gave Peterhead a mountain to climb and despite a much more competitive second half the Blue Toon went down 3-0 to the title chasing Bairns.

Manager Jim McInally’s game plan to frustrate Falkirk for as long as possible came unstuck after just nine minutes when Lee Miller showed the skills that made him a Scotland striker earlier in his career by slotting home an Aidan Connolly pass.

What the visitors did not need as they looked to get back into the game was for referee Craig Napier to hand Falkirk the chance of a second goal via the penalty spot 16 minutes later however that is what happened.

The award came when Connolly drilled a free-kick into a visiting defensive wall and Simon Ferry was harshly penalised for handball with Declan McManus netting from 12 yards to double Falkirk’s advantage.

Manager Jim McInally replaced Ryan Conroy with Alan Cook at the break and the January signing pepped up his side by driving at the home defence.

Cook had a shot saved and a much-improved performance gave Peterhead hope of getting back into the game.

That hope was extinguished on 61 minutes with Peterhead left with a grievance over this goal as well.

Jack Leitch looked to be fouled a few yards outside his own box however referee Napier awarded the free-kick to Falkirk and McManus cracked home the deal ball to make the score 3-0.

Peterhead saw the game out without any more damage however they were left rueing their slow start as well as key decisions in the second half that went against them.

The Balmoor men continue to sit third bottom of the table after Stranraer went down 4-1 at Montrose and Forfar lost 2-1 to Falkirk’s title rivals Raith Rovers.

Peterhead – Fleming, Eadie, J Brown, Bollan, Boyle, Conroy (Cook 46), Stevenson, Ferry, S Brown, Leitch (Fraser 60), Lyle (Boyd 65)

Unused substitutes – Smith, Armour, Ferguson, Wilson (G/k)