Peterhead took the lead at Falkirk just before the half-time whistle in a game where Blue Toon goalkeeper Jack Newman had been busy however the Bairns raced up the park and levelled before going on to secure a 3-1 win.
Max Gillies’ first senior goal led to hopes of frustration building at The Falkirk Stadium only for Ryan Williamson to charge forward and equalise before second half goals from Callumn Morrison and Gary Oliver secured the points for John McGlynn’s side.
The Balmoor men went into the game boosted by the loan signings of Jack Wilkie and Ewan Murray from Dundee with midfielder Murray handed a start alongside Andrew McDonald who was returning from suspension with David Wilson and Danny Strachan making way. Falkirk who were beaten 4-0 by Airdrie in their last outing were out to make it up to their fans with a quick goal and they came close on eight minutes. Williamson found himself in space on the right flank and he cut the ball back to Stephen McGinn who picked out Juan Alegria with a cross. His knockdown was perfect for Morrison to crack home however Ryan Strachan made a superb block. Five minutes later Morrison, who was to prove to be a thorn in Peterhead’s side all afternoon darted from just inside the visitors’ half and after dancing his way past a couple of challenges his parting shot was pushed away by Newman. Midway through the opening half Aidan Nesbitt crossed for Morrison who had ghosted in at the back post with the winger sending a header against the top of the bar and over. Peterhead were trying to force their way into the game at the other end however they found themselves under pressure again on 25 minutes with Newman having to save from Finn Yeats before denying Alegria twice in quick succession. Ten minutes from the break a raid on the Falkirk goal was halted by Coll Donaldson who teed up Morrison to run at the Blue Toon backline with Newman again excelling with a low diving save to his right after Morrison had let fly from 20 yards. Four minutes later Alegria hit the outside of the post with a header after referee Stewart Luke had missed a push on Ryan Strachan in the build-up. After sustaining all that home pressure Peterhead showed what they could do as an attacking force by grabbing the lead on 44 minutes. Conor O’Keefe darted clear on the left and his low cross was perfect for Gillies to run onto and side-foot the ball through Nicky Hogarth’s legs from 14 yards. The key for the men in yellow and blue was to hold onto their lead until the break however that did not happen as Williamson was allowed to run from deep inside his own half. After finding himself at the edge of Peterhead’s box he cracked home a left foot shot with the visiting management team left wondering why the full back’s run had not been halted. Falkirk left the pitch to cheers rather than jeers and they looked to build on that quickly into the restart when Alegria was sent clear however ex-Bairn Paul Dixon got back to make a crucial tackle with loud appeals for a penalty waved aside. Twelve minutes into the second half Peterhead charged forward however after their attack was cleared Nesbitt picked out Morrison with a cross-field pass. The Falkirk wide man bore down on Newman’s goal and after skipping past Dixon he sent a shot high into the net to give the hosts the lead. Morrison sent a shot over the bar and Nesbitt had a drive deflected over before O’Keefe was sent off for a late challenge on Leon McCann on 83 minutes with the Blue Toon camp believing that a yellow card would have sufficed. Newman made another fine stop with two minutes left when he pushed away a Morrison effort however from the resultant corner the ten men found themselves two goals behind. Sean Mackie nodded Nesbitt’s dead ball towards Oliver who was standing a yard from goal with the former Morton striker adding a head flick to ensure it went over the line.
Peterhead – Newman, Gillies, McDonald, R Strachan (Wilson 59), Dixon, Jack Brown (Jordon Brown 88), Murray (Wilkie 59), Scullion (McGale 76), Adeyemo, Dow, O’Keefe Unused substitutes – D Strachan, McLeod, Wood (G/k)
Post-Match Interview with Jim McInally: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhKeQzl9INo
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