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[The Earl of Hathaway]

It could all have been so different. Team the same as Saturday and started pretty brightly. Couple of decent goes at goal - nothing really substantial - and the defence looking solid initially. The midfield looked a bit lopsided with Rowson really the only experienced player out of Campbell, Erskine, Cairney. We had a few wee frights going towards half time with one double save from Fox, where the whole defence managed to appear both static AND asleep, giving us a warning. Which we didn't heed as that wee t*sser McManus wandered into the 6 yard box and tapped one in on the stroke of half time.

Second half was more of the same until about the 60th minute we started to play and gave Falkirk a few scares - Cairney shaved a post with a free kick and was beginning to look like his old self, and Dooland had the miss of the season from 4 yards out. The ref had started giving us a few decisions after favouring Falkirk all first half, but Rowson had been booked on the advice of the standside linesmen for (I think) impeding one of their players while we were breaking. Just as it looked as if we were pressurising them, Campbell lost his man and Rowson had to cover taking out their player. Definitely a yellow and that was kinda game over, except for them scoring in the last minute. Pretty poor overall, except for 20 minutes in the middle, and that's it for away games for me until next season. McNamara didn't seem very animated on the touchline but was giving a lot of advice to players during the game over at the touchline. Campbell looks a bit out of his depth defensively, but was decent going forward. Balatoni and Kinniburgh were solid as ever, with Conrad looking useful. Grehan started well but faded, Erskine was very Erskiney and Kris should have taken the goal tally up by one tonight but he knows that. Glad not to have to see Falkirk for a few months anyway. A bit

[Jaggernaut]

That's about how I saw it too. The defence collectively went to sleep on the 45-minute mark, with the Falkirk players making Boyle look like a monkey with the simplest of flicks. Guy was unmarked in the 6-yard box. Doolan's miss was unbelievable, not that in it was a sitter (he had to slide in for it), but in that I was convinced it was in until it wasn't. It's a shame he couldn't put more power and swerve on the couple of shots he had from just outside the box in the 2nd half.

 

Erskine was occasionally brilliant. Campbell got caught on the ball too often (again). A couple of glimpses of the old Cairney, but not enough.

 

What is it with Thistle players sliding all over the Falkirk pitch? It happened last time, and it happened again, notably twice when Doolan could have been in a with a great chance of scoring.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

Much as I saw it as well. Would add that after Rowson went off Campbell defended well. Also I doubt very much had we Hodge, Flannigan or even Donnelly fit that Cairney would be playing anything like 90 minutes if at all. You can see signs of him returning to normal when he's on the ball but getting to the ball in time is too rare an event. Still don't like to be over critical of Cairney due to our injury situation.

Thought if a goal was going to come for us there was every likelihood it would come from a penalty after Erskine getting chopped. Falkirk by and large defended well but there was more of a trace of panic about them when Erskine had the ball. Not sure if he's better playing down the flank or thru the middle (as he did much of last night). If he plays like he did last night often enough next season we should be due a few penalties.

[graham]

The ballboys at Falkirk have tops with "Ball Attendant" on the back. When will the madness stop?

[Jaggernaut]

The ballboys at Falkirk have tops with "Ball Attendant" on the back. When will the madness stop?

I guess ballgirls will simply compound the madness.