Falkirk 2 - 1 Inverness CT

League Match
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2004, 7:00 PM at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir
Attendance: 2,268
Referee: D MacDonald
Falkirk Inverness CT

Goalscorers
Lee (9)
McAnespie (76)
Paul Ritchie (35)

Team Managers
Unknown. John Robertson

Starting Eleven
Ferguson
Lawrie
McPherson
MacKenzie
Hughes
Sharp
O'Neil
Rahim
Lee
Latapy
Scally
Mark Brown
Ross Tokely
Bobby Mann
Stuart Golabek
Stuart McCaffrey
Barry Wilson
Roy McBain
Russell Duncan
Liam Keogh
David Bingham
Paul Ritchie

Bench
McAnespie
Nicholls
MacSween
Colquhoun
Hill
Michael Fraser
Grant Munro
Richie Hart
Darran Thomson
Craig MacMillan

Substitutions
McAnespie -> O'Neil (60)
Nicholls -> Rahim (60)
MacSween -> Latapy (86)
Darran Thomson for David Bingham (27)
Richie Hart for Russell Duncan (81)
Craig MacMillan for Ross Tokely (84)

Bookings
Lee
Scally
None.

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Mark Brown (GK) 77 apps -
Stuart Golabek 154 apps3 goals
Stuart McCaffrey 133 apps5 goals
Ross Tokely 270 apps20 goals
Bobby Mann 200 apps17 goals
Russell Duncan 106 apps2 goals
Liam Keogh 50 apps2 goals
Barry Wilson 178 apps52 goals
Roy McBain 154 apps9 goals
David Bingham 31 apps13 goals
Paul Ritchie 116 apps56 goals
Richie Hart (sub) 54 apps12 goals
Darran Thomson (sub) 23 apps2 goals
Craig MacMillan (sub) 10 apps -

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (25 years 1 days)
Oldest Player:Mark Brown (2005 years 214 days)
Average Player Age:28 years 195 days
Domestic Players:11 (100.00 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (25 years 1 days)
Oldest Player:Craig MacMillan (2005 years 214 days)
Average Player Age:28 years 195 days
Domestic Players:16 (100.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones
Bobby Mann made his 200th competitive appearance for the Club.
Liam Keogh played his 50th major competitive game for the Club.

A terrific game that could have gone either way but in the end disappointment. The slow thaw allowed the match to go ahead but it was a close call. Falkirk started well and were rewarded in nine minutes with a scrappy goal. Russell Latapy took a free kick 25 yards out and Jason Lee’s mishit deceived everyone before landing in the net. Caley Thistle began to take control and Barry Wilson chipped over the ‘keeper and the bar in 11 minutes. Liam Keogh shot low and past two minutes later then shots from Wilson and Roy McBain were blocked. Lee intercepted a back-header from Bobby Mann to Mark Brown in 22 minutes but could make nothing of it. David Bingham took a knock and was replaced by Darran Thomson in 27 minutes. Thomson combined with Ritchie to set up Wilson in 33 minutes but his low shot came off the post with the visiting fans already celebrating. An equaliser came two minutes later when ‘keeper Allan Ferguson weakly touched a Wilson corner from the left and Ritchie headed in at the far post. Falkirk stormed back in the second half and Mark Brown performed heroics. In 54 minutes Brown saved from Craig McPherson then in 58 minutes he touched a low Latapy shot for a corner. In 69 minutes Brown again came to the rescue with a fine tip over from an Andy Lawrie header. Caley Thistle had few shots at the other end before Falkirk went 2-1 ahead in 76 minutes. John Hughes played a short free kick around ten yards ahead of the correct spot but play went on and substitute Kieran McAnespie sent in an unstoppable 30 yard rocket. Despite protests from the visitors’ bench the goal stood and Falkirk grew in confidence. Close to the whistle a Ritchie header was held by Ferguson then an Andy Lawrie shot was blocked at the other end. The whistle went and Falkirk took the points. They rose to third but the real winners were Clyde – now three points ahead and with two games in hand.

Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Clyde 23 15 4 4 40 23 17 49
2. Inverness CT 25 14 4 7 49 25 24 46
3. Falkirk 24 11 6 7 34 27 7 39
4. Ross County 25 10 8 7 41 30 11 38
5. Queen of the South 24 11 5 8 33 32 1 38
6. St. Johnstone 23 10 7 6 40 26 14 37
7. St. Mirren 24 6 9 9 23 32 -9 27
8. Ayr United 25 4 8 13 25 44 -19 20
9. Raith Rovers 24 5 5 14 24 43 -19 20
10. Brechin City 25 5 4 16 27 54 -27 19