Dundee found the Bairns a real handful in the first half of this Development League game at the Falkirk Stadium. The home side had experience in the shape of Alan Maybury, Alex Cooper and Taylor Morgan and it was Morgan who fashioned an early chance when his shot was diverted by Dens keeper Calum Brodie into the path of Kevin O’Hara whose shot hit the post.
Brodie then had to be alert to deal with a 20-yard effort from Falkirk’s Ryan Blair but could only watch on helplessly as O’Hara headed the home side into the lead on 18 minutes. Cooper worked his way down the wing and delivered a perfect cross for O’Hara to give Brodie no chance from six yards.
Dundee’s Josh Skelly then tested Falkirk keeper Graham Bowman with a 30-yard drive on 27 minutes but a minute later the visitors went two behind.
Taylor Morgan brushed aside two challenges before curling in a shot from the edge of the box.
The Dark Blues were struggling to get into the game at this stage but, in one of their rare attacks, Craig Wighton brought off a fine save from Bowman with a 30-yard shot.
Morgan then burst clear of the Dens defence but Ben Priest was on hand to block the striker’s effort.
At half time Dundee brought on two substitutes, John Black and Liam Gibb, for Kerr Waddell and Max Avolio in an attempt to haul themselves back into the game.
Black was quickly in action as he attempted to lob the keeper but his effort went narrowly over.
However, on the hour mark, Black did get on the scoresheet, connecting with a Gibb cross to drive the ball past Bowman from six yards out.
The young Dark Blues almost snatched the equaliser but Bowman came to his side’s rescue with a great save from Cameron.
O’Hara had the ball in the net again for the home side but it was ruled offside and Scott Shepherd’s shot came back off the face of the bar as Falkirk finished strongly.
FT: Falkirk 2 Dundee 1
Dundee: Brodie, A Black, C Black, Priest, Allan, Waddell (J Black 45), Avolio (L Gibb 45), Colquhoun, Skelly (D Davidson 74), Wighton, Cameron. Subs not used: Gourlay, Warwick, Cunningham, McHardy.
Falkirk: Bowman; Rowan, Gallagher, Martin (Cather 71), Maybury, Dick, Blues (Langton 77), Blair, Morgan, O’Hara, Cooper. Subs not used: Fairbanks, Hamilton, Nash, Shepherd, Johnson.
Report: Jim Davie
