Sheer folly to write my Bairns off for title
Boss backing Falkirk to get back on track for promotion after ending horror slump
FALKIRK boss Paul Sheerin insists his side remain right in the hunt for the title – despite a dismal run that has seen them win just once since August.
The Bairns were one of the pre-season title favourites and they started in style, taking 10 points from the first 12.
But their form then dropped off a cliff, losing four in a row in all competitions to leave the fans far from happy.
Falkirk have steadied the ship since, following up a 2-2 draw at Montrose with a much-needed 2-1 victory at home to East Fife.
And with no side tearing away in the title race, they head into today’s clash with Airdrie just three points off the summit. So Sheerin is hoping they can now hit their stride and jump above Cove and Queen’s Park at the top.
The Bairns boss said: “There are still plenty of positives to take from the first nine games, although obviously we didn’t get points out of some games where we felt we could have. That said, we arguably got something against East Fife when we weren’t at our best.
“But we’re looking to better our points tally in the second quarter that’s for sure. We’re still only three points off the top, which just shows you how tight the league is again this year.
“Queen’s Park have come up and gone unbeaten in the first nine which is full credit to them. The good thing is they haven’t opened up a real gap so it looks like it will be neck and neck.”
Airdrie will also fancy their chances of automatic promotion as they trail Falkirk only on goal difference. Dumbarton are also on 14 points, with Montrose just a point behind in the most competitive league in the SPFL.
Sheerin, whose Bairns side beat the Diamonds 2-1 with 10 men earlier in the season, added: “It’s pretty tight between all the teams but especially between ourselves and Airdrie so it will be a good game.
“The first game between us was obviously affected by us going down to 10 men. I’m sure they would argue they deserved more from the game and I can’t make a case against that.
“But we rolled our sleeves up and really dug in and I saw a different side to the team that I wasn’t sure we had at that point.
“But if we can become a bit more consistent over a longer stretch of time and try to hit the targets we’ve set as a coaching staff, then we’ll be doing well.”