Match ends, Falkirk 2, Rangers 1.
Scottish Championship: Falkirk 2-1 Rangers
By Tom English
BBC Scotland
- From the section Football
Danny Rogers saved Martyn Waghorn's stoppage-time penalty to give Falkirk a win over Championship leaders Rangers.
John Baird opened the scoring for Falkirk with an early penalty, wrongly awarded by referee Willie Collum.
Barrie McKay equalised with a low drive before the splendid Will Vaulks put Falkirk back in front after the break.
Rangers created multiple chances but could not beat Rogers again - even when they were awarded a ridiculously soft penalty in the dying minutes.
Rogers dived low to his left and tipped Waghorn's effort on to the post.
Third-placed Falkirk's win reduced the gap on Rangers to six points, with Hibernian between them in second.
This game was firecracker stuff right from the get-go.
Danny Wilson hauled down Vaulks for that first penalty, but it was plain to most inside Falkirk Stadium that the foul was committed outside the box. Plain to all - except the officials.
It was Collum who pointed to the spot, with encouragement from his assistant referee, and it was Baird who fired it home - his 14th goal of a fine season.
Goalkeeper Wes Foderingham got a hand to it but could not deny Falkirk their dream beginning.
Collum got stick from the home support in the aftermath, but Wilson's role cannot be ignored. He had no need to sell himself in the way he did.
In doing so, he merely confirmed the feeling that Rangers have major issues at centre-half. Their vulnerability was a recurring theme of the day.
Rangers responded impressively when a Nathan Oduwa cross was flicked on by James Tavernier to the feet of McKay. The midfielder thumped a shot low past Rogers. Short-lived joy for the visitors as it turned out.
Peter Houston's team are on a terrific run. Coming into this one, they had five wins and two draws from their last seven games. They've scored an average of three goals per game in that run.
Their confidence is sky high and they should have been back in front midway through the first half. This was a bizarre incident.
Once again, Falkirk got in behind Rangers. The impressive teenager, Kevin O'Hara, curled in a goal-bound shot that was touched home by Baird while standing in an offside position.
Baird had no need to help it on its way. A picture of remorse, he immediately apologised.
Not that it bothered them unduly. Falkirk were deeply menacing at the beginning of the second half.
Craig Sibbald forced a save from Foderingham then the excellent Vaulks rifled in Falkirk's second after more uncertainty in the Rangers defence.
Soon after, Foderingham touched an O'Hara shot on to his post and then denied the youngster for a second time with another terrific save. Rangers were wide open and asking for trouble.
The visitors rallied and piled the pressure on their hosts. Nicky Law hit the crossbar and Kenny Miller and Andy Halliday had efforts beaten away by Rogers. Falkirk held out.
For them, this was a huge victory in what is becoming an intriguing season. For Rangers, more dropped points and more vulnerability.
Line-ups
Falkirk
- 1Rogers
- 4MuirheadBooked at 87mins
- 14Grant
- 5McCracken
- 3LeahyBooked at 35mins
- 8Alston
- 6Vaulks
- 11Kerr
- 10Sibbald
- 30O'HaraSubstituted forMillerat 76'minutes
- 9BairdSubstituted forShepherdat 81'minutes
Substitutes
- 17Smith
- 18Miller
- 21Tokarczyk
- 22Blair
- 23Shepherd
- 33Gallacher
- 44Watson
Rangers
- 25Foderingham
- 2Tavernier
- 4Kiernan
- 27WilsonBooked at 3minsSubstituted forClarkat 81'minutes
- 5Wallace
- 10OduwaSubstituted forMillerat 65'minutes
- 16Halliday
- 23Holt
- 19McKay
- 22ShielsSubstituted forLawat 65'minutes
- 33Waghorn
Substitutes
- 6Ball
- 7Law
- 9Miller
- 14Clark
- 20Aird
- 32Kelly
- 45Thompson
- Referee:
- William Collum
- Attendance:
- 7,488
Match Stats
Home TeamFalkirkAway TeamRangers
- Possession
- Home32%
- Away68%
- Shots
- Home5
- Away17
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away7
- Corners
- Home3
- Away15
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away2
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Falkirk 2, Rangers 1.
Penalty missed! Still Falkirk 2, Rangers 1. Martyn Waghorn (Rangers) hits the right post with a right footed shot.
Penalty conceded by Blair Alston (Falkirk) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Mark Kerr.
Attempt saved. Andy Halliday (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Rob Kiernan (Rangers) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Scott Shepherd (Falkirk).
Booking
Aaron Muirhead (Falkirk) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Attempt blocked. James Tavernier (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt missed. Andy Halliday (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Luke Leahy.
Substitution
Substitution, Falkirk. Scott Shepherd replaces John Baird.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Nicky Clark replaces Danny Wilson.
Attempt blocked. Nicky Law (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Danny Rogers.
Attempt saved. Andy Halliday (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Luke Leahy.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Danny Rogers.
Substitution
Substitution, Falkirk. Lee Miller replaces Kevin O'Hara.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Luke Leahy.
Attempt blocked. Martyn Waghorn (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Attempt saved. James Tavernier (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Danny Rogers.
Attempt saved. Kenny Miller (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Danny Rogers.
Nicky Law (Rangers) hits the bar with a left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Foul by Rob Kiernan (Rangers).
John Baird (Falkirk) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Nicky Law replaces Dean Shiels.
Substitution
Substitution, Rangers. Kenny Miller replaces Nathan Oduwa.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Luke Leahy.
Corner, Falkirk. Conceded by Wes Foderingham.
Attempt saved. Kevin O'Hara (Falkirk) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
James Tavernier (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Will Vaulks (Falkirk).
Kevin O'Hara (Falkirk) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Goal!
Goal! Falkirk 2, Rangers 1. Will Vaulks (Falkirk) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner following a corner.
Corner, Falkirk. Conceded by Nathan Oduwa.
Attempt saved. Craig Sibbald (Falkirk) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
