Bairns bounce Biak big style
ALEX JAKUBIAK was too hot to handle on a bitterly cold night at Falkirk Stadium as Paul Hartley got the response he wanted from his men.
The on-loan Watford attacker scored the first and set up the second as the Bairns pulled six points clear of secondbottom spot.
Falkirk boss Hartley was relieved to bounce back from their disappointing defeat by Livingston with victory over lowly Brechin.
He said: “We were pretty decent in the first half and could have scored more goals.
“We got complacent in the second. But the main thing was winning as Brechin haven’t won all season and were due to beat someone.”
Falkirk were slow to start but controlled it once they got their noses in front in 13 minutes.
Graeme Smith had done well to push Louis Longridge’s deflected cross wide for a corner but he then lacked protection as Tommy Robson’s ball came in.
Jakubiak stuck his foot out and the ball seemed to trundle over the line before Sean Crighton kicked it away but ref Mat Northcroft was well placed to award the goal.
Hartley had made five changes – including FALKIRK ........ 3 BRECHIN ........ 1 bringing in young Celtic keeper Conor Hazard – and it worked as he played Longridge behind Jakubiak and Rory Loy.
Jakubiak and Longridge always looked threatening and it was no surprise when Falkirk got a second in 28 minutes.
It was great work from the English hitman whose clever close control worked him an angle on the right. He then picked out Loy at the back post and he couldn’t miss.
It was sheer relief for Loy to net his first goal of the season in his 23rd game since returning to the Bairns in the summer.
He might have scored again just before halftime but saw his decent right-foot strike well blocked by Smith.
Sloppy Falkirk gave Brechin hope after the break. Jordan McGhee and Paul Watson both hesitated in 67 minutes as the ball was played up to the edge of the box and Dylan Mackin netted.
But Longridge sealed it four minutes later when he brilliantly cut in from the right and curled a left foot shot into the net.
Brechin boss Darren Dods said: “I felt we were back in it but Longridge scored a great third.”