FALKIRK climbed off the bottom of the SPL table for the first time in two months last night to put themselves within touching distance of securing their top-flight status for another year.
Scott Arfield's magnificent goal after an hour of a predictably tense contest was enough to beat a Hamilton Accies side who lacked a cutting edge to match their often more fluent football.
John Hughes' side have now taken seven points from their
first three post-split fixtures and will be safe from the threat of relegation if they defeat St Mirren at the Falkirk Stadium on Saturday.
Last night's defeat leaves Hamilton still in danger of the drop and they will head to Motherwell this weekend looking for at least a point to remove themselves from the equation.
Hughes believes his team's progress to the Scottish Cup final has been the key factor in their success in climbing off the foot of the table. "I think we have got the momentum now," said Hughes. "Getting to the Scottish Cup final was a real shot in the arm for us, the team have grown in confidence. I asked my boys a few weeks ago to put the situation into our own hands and that's what they have done."
Hamilton manager Billy Reid was again left to rue his side's bluntness in attack.
"I felt we deserved a point over the 90 minutes, but it's a great result for Falkirk," observed Reid. "Our destiny is still in our own hands, we are in a good position and we have the belief we will get what we need."
Hughes' reluctance to make any concessions to attacking football regardless of his team's predicament was evident once more as he deployed them in what was effectively a 4-2-4 formation. His bold approach recognised Falkirk's need for victory but his team struggled to secure enough possession to make it work with any great effect.
Arfield and Kevin McBride, the visitors' central midfield players, were often overrun as Hamilton dictated the tempo of the match for lengthy periods.
If James McCarthy had been at all distracted by Portsmouth's failed £500,000 bid to sign him this week, it didn't show as the Republic of Ireland under-21 international returned to the Accies starting line-up.
The PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year was prominent in much of his team's best work as they stretched the Falkirk defence, linking up cleverly with Brian Easton down the left to carve out the first clear opening of the night.
Neil McCann, who along with Carl Finnigan was required to track back from the attacking wide positions to reinforce the Falkirk defence, effected a good clearance when McCarthy delivered a threatening cross.
Mark McLaughlin could have given Hamilton an early lead when an Easton corner picked him out, but the big defender was unable to climb high enough as he sent his header over the crossbar.
More terrific work between McCarthy and Easton then presented Paul McGowan with an opportunity on the edge of the six yard box, but the on-loan Celtic striker took too long trying to set himself up for a shot and the chance was lost.
As the play continued to flow mainly one way, Falkirk goalkeeper Dani Mallo was at full stretch to touch Easton's sweetly struck 22 yard shot over for a corner. Steven Pressley then resorted to desperate measures in a bid to lessen McCarthy's influence on proceedings, the veteran defender rightly booked by referee Mike McCurry for a cynical foul on the teenager who had pushed the ball beyond him.
It was Pressley who was presented with Falkirk's first sniff of a chance when he headed a McCann free-kick over the crossbar and Falkirk almost snatched an unlikely lead on the stroke of half-time when Michael Higdon headed Finnigan's cross narrowly wide of Tomas Cerny's left hand post.
Hamilton were forced to make a change early in the second half when Richard Offiong limped off to be replaced by Joel Thomas and the substitute was given a rude introduction to proceedings when he was fouled by Pressley. The home support screamed for a second yellow card to be administered to the Scotland coach who had certainly led with his arm in making the challenge, but the referee decided a free-kick for Hamilton was sufficient punishment.
Having failed to translate their control of possession into anything tangible, Hamilton were running the risk of the match turning away from them and they were fortunate not to concede a penalty kick in the 57th minute. McCann raced onto Higdon's flick-on and as he looked to push the ball beyond Cerny, he appeared to be blatantly taken out by the goalkeeper.
But to the bewilderment of the Falkirk players and supporters, Mr McCurry saw nothing amiss and waved play on. The visitors soon forgot their sense of injustice, however, when Falkirk took the lead just three minutes later.
Cerny made a fine save to block Finnigan's shot as Hamilton found themselves stretched at the back and the ball broke to Arfield on the edge of the penalty area. The Scotland B international still had much to do but he was more than up to the task as, to the delight of the travelling fans behind Cerny's goal, he curled in a terrific left foot shot which beat Cerny off the inside of the keeper's right-hand post.
Hamilton sent on Kenny Deuchar for McGowan in an attempt to vary their attacking options and the substitute immediately carved out an opportunity for Thomas who wastefully headed the cross over from close range. McCarthy , less influential in the second half, volleyed narrowly over from a tight angle as Hamilton tried to get back on the front foot.
Hamilton: Cerny, Gibson (Taylor 73), Canning, McLaughlin, Easton, Neil, Mensing, McCarthy, McClenahan, Offiong (Thomas 54), McGowan (Deuchar 66). Subs not used: Murdoch, Swailes, Lyle, Asamoah. Booked: Taylor.
Falkirk: Dani Mallo, Bullen, Pressley, Barr, Scobbie, Finnigan, Arfield, McBride (O'Brien 59), McCann, Lovell (Riera 77), Higdon. Subs not used: Olejnik, Holden, Cregg, Aafjes, Mitchell. Booked: Scobbie, Pressley.
Referee: M McCurry
The full article contains 1036 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
