Rover and out as Houston sees red
AS bad afternoons go, Peter Houston will scarcely endure a worse one as he was sent to the stand for accusing referee Barry Cook of timewasting and his side produced their poorest performance of the season.
After five impressive league victories, Falkirk were truly woeful, while Rovers, inspired by Mark Stewart, ruthlessly exposed their deficiencies.
On his first start of the season, the former Bairns striker scored two goals and set up another.
Houston will now the be the subject of an SFA charge for his touchline tantrum. However, he will defend himself vigorously, convinced he has done nothing wrong. He said: “I can’t wait to find out why I was sent to the stand because not once did I swear.
“He booked Kyle Benedictus after playing advantage and then he came over to Gary Locke and I overheard him explaining his decision. I told him to get on with the game. He told me to be quiet and I told him again to get on with it and he sent me to the stand. I will be contesting any charge that comes my way.”
It was clear frustration from the Falkirk manager as he knew his side was decidedly second best to a team who have now leap-frogged them into fourth place.
Rovers were ahead in 17 minutes when Falkirk did not deal with Jordan Thompson’s corner and Iain Davidson reacted quickest to fire a low left-foot shot into the net.
Rovers, however, barely had time to celebrate before they gifted an equaliser just a minute later.
Mark Kerr played a hopeful pass into the Raith box looking for John Baird and Jean-Yves M’Voto left it, allowing Baird to skip past Kevin Cuthbert and roll the ball into the empty net. Rovers were all at sea again in 27 minutes but they can thank their lucky stars that Mark Kerr produced the miss of the season.
Bob McHugh was all on his own as he latched onto a Craig Sibbald pass and after Cuthbert saved his shot, he rolled a pass for Kerr who faced a gaping goal six yards out but shot wide.
To rub salt into the wound, Rovers went ahead again 10 minutes later when Falkirk failed to clear Bobby Barr’s ball in, which spun to Ross Matthews who cleverly headed across for Stewart to nod home.
Tempers frayed 11 minutes into the second half when Houston was sent to the stand and there was a sense that this would not be Falkirk’s day. Rovers went 3-1 up in 72 minutes when the excellent Stewart burst down the right and squared for Declan McManus, who shot home from 10 yards.
Lee Miller tried to a lead a fightback with a headed goal in 76 minutes after Scott Shepherd had set him up, but Stewart killed them off three minutes later when he raced through, rounded Danny Rogers and slotted home.
Rovers manager Locke said: “That’s the best we have played this season, We created numerous opportunities and to score four was fantastic.
“Mark Stewart has been chomping at the bit to get in and it’s been frustrating for him and me. We needed more of a threat in the final third and he gave us that today.”