Unitedcruisetowinwith oneeyeontheplay-offs
DUNDEE United 2 FALKIRK 0
Defiant Falkirk boss Ray Mckinnon insists he’s happy to go to a final-day showdown to stay up – as six months ago that looked like a forlorn hope.
Mckinnon’s bottom-dogs are gearing up for a nerve-shredding Championship climax as they trail second-bottom Alloa in their desperate fight for survival.
The Bairns now host newly-crowned champions Ross County while relegation rivals Alloa must travel to face Ayr United with their future hanging in the balance following this defeat to second-top Dundee United.
Mckinnon, who replaced Paul Hartley as manager at the end of August, recalls having no points on the board until October, so is adamant this upcoming survival scenario is something he would have gladly accepted back then.
Mckinnon said: “We would have probably taken this back in October.
“We’re still in there fighting which is the most important thing.
“We’ve just got to be ruthless next week against Ross County and take our chances.
“It’s going to be massive and I would ask our fans to turn out in numbers again.
“We’re going into the last game of the season determined to get three points and hope results elsewhere go our way.”
Falkirk’s 2-0 defeat at home to Morton last Saturday put them back to the bottom of the Championship.
Things didn’t get any easier for them as on-loan French defender William Edjenguele was ineligible having moved from Tannadice back in January.
The Bairns still brought a healthy travelling support to Tayside and chants DUNDEE United:
(4-4-2) Siegrist 6, Watson 6, Bouhenna 7, Reynolds 7, Booth 6, Mcmullan 8 (Stanton 62, 3) Butcher 6, Harkes 7 (Chalmers 62, 2) Robson 6, Sow 6 (Clark 62,2) Safranko 6. Unused - Laidlaw, Fyvie, Smith, Seaman
FALKIRK:
(4-2-3-1) Burgoyne 7, Mcghee 6, Dixon 6, Mckenna 6, Robson 6, Waddington 4 (Petravicius 46, 4 Kidd 74, 1)) Osman 6, Mcshane 6, Keillor-dunn 6, Mclean 5 (Jarvis 67,1) Rudden 6. Unused – Fasan, Todorov, Brough, O’hara
of “sack the board” could be heard from the away end.
They almost had more misery piled on them in the sixth minute when midfielder Ian Harkes slipped in Osman Sow.
The Swedish striker has only one thing on his mind as he curled a shot from 12-yards, only for visiting keeper Harry Burgoyne to tip it round the post.
Burgoyne was in the thick of the action again just a couple of minutes later as he stood firm to Harkes’ long-range effort.
Then, in 14 minutes, Burgoyne came to
the rescue once more with a fingertip save to deny Mark Reynolds’ looping header.
But there was nothing he could do to prevent the Tangerines from taking their deserved lead.
It was simple stuff as Mcmullan’s driven corner was met by Bouhenna whose glancing header nestled in the far corner as the Falkirk defence switched off.
This was now a serious test of Falkirk’s mettle although they did have a glorious opportunity to equalise in 19 minutes.
Jordan Mcghee’s cross was flicked on