Falkirk 2 - 3 Inverness CT

League Match
Saturday, May 10th, 2003, 3:00 PM at Brockville Park
Attendance: 7,300
Referee: H Dallas
Falkirk Inverness CT

Goalscorers
Taylor (6, 50) Nicholls (o.g.) (47)
Bobby Mann (79)
Charlie Christie (82)

Team Managers
Unknown. John Robertson

Starting Eleven
Ferguson
Rennie
Henry
McQuilken
Christie
Nicholls
Taylor
McPherson
Kerr
Miller
Coyle
Mark Brown
Ross Tokely
Grant Munro
Bobby Mann
Stuart McCaffrey
Barry Robson
Roy McBain
Russell Duncan
Richie Hart
Dennis Wyness
Paul Ritchie

Bench
Cringean
Samuel
Atai
Creaney
Rodgers
Michael Fraser
Charlie Christie
David Bagan
Liam Keogh
Steven Hislop

Substitutions
Cringean -> McQuilken (35)
Samuel -> Henry (72)
Charlie Christie for Dennis Wyness (58)
Steven Hislop for Paul Ritchie (68)
David Bagan for Barry Robson (72)

Bookings
Cringean
Christie
Nicholls
Barry Robson (60)

Red Cards
None. None.
Appearances & Goals To Date
Mark Brown (GK) 44 apps -
Grant Munro 71 apps1 goal
Stuart McCaffrey 103 apps1 goal
Bobby Mann 170 apps16 goals
Ross Tokely 239 apps17 goals
Roy McBain 123 apps5 goals
Russell Duncan 73 apps1 goal
Barry Robson 167 apps27 goals
Richie Hart 37 apps9 goals
Paul Ritchie 86 apps40 goals
Dennis Wyness 159 apps80 goals
David Bagan (sub) 74 apps11 goals
Charlie Christie (sub) 306 apps34 goals
Steven Hislop (sub) 14 apps2 goals

Starting Lineup
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (24 years 69 days)
Oldest Player:Paul Ritchie (2004 years 282 days)
Average Player Age:24 years 69 days
Domestic Players:11 (100.00 % of starting eleven)

Matchday Squad
Youngest Player:Ross Tokely (24 years 69 days)
Oldest Player:Paul Ritchie (2004 years 282 days)
Average Player Age:30 years 242 days
Domestic Players:16 (100.00 % of matchday squad)

First Team Debuts

Milestones

Falkirk were crowned champions at Brockville’s last match but Caley Thistle spoiled the party by winning 3-2. Three years ago Caley Thistle played in what was supposed to be Brockville’s swansong but in the event the proposed new ground never materialised – this time the departure was for real. The champions now have to wait to see if they will be allowed into the SPL – they propose to ground share with Airdrie United until their new home at Westfield is ready. The Bairns opened the scoring in six minutes when Stuart Taylor headed home Craig McPherson’s corner from the right. Caley Thistle came very close to an equaliser in 27 minutes when Dennis Wyness side-footed from the left to the far corner – Allan Ferguson dived to divert it for a corner. Play switched ends and McPherson’s cross was headed across goal by Taylor – Owen Coyle just failed to reach it. Jamie McQuilken was forced to retire in 36 minutes with a suspected broken arm. Just after the interval it was 1-1 when Bobby Mann’s low free kick from 25 yards was sliced past Ferguson by Davie Nicholls. Three minutes later a long throw into the penalty area fell for Taylor and he hit past Mark Brown to make it 2-1. In 79 minutes hand ball from Steven Rennie led to another 25 yard free kick and Mann curled it past Ferguson to equalise. Three minutes later substitutes Steve Hislop and Charlie Christie combined to score Caley Thistle’s winner. Hislop just kept the ball in on the left, hit across goal and Christie knocked it home from close range. The Falkirk camp was adamant that the ball was over before the cross but the goal stood. Taylor came close to his hat-trick in the last minute when he hit over from six yards. The score remained 3-2 and Falkirk’s unbeaten home run was over. The curtain came down on Brockville and on a very successful season for both clubs. Attention now turns to the re-opening of the transfer window - who will stay, who will come and who will go?

Pld W D L F A +/- Pts
1. Falkirk 36 25 6 5 80 32 48 81
2. Clyde 36 21 9 6 66 37 29 72
3. St. Johnstone 36 20 7 9 49 29 20 67
4. Inverness CT 36 20 5 11 74 45 29 65
5. Queen of the South 36 12 12 12 45 48 -3 48
6. Ayr United 36 12 9 15 34 44 -10 45
7. St. Mirren 36 9 10 17 42 71 -29 37
8. Ross County 36 9 8 19 42 46 -4 35
9. Alloa Athletic 36 9 8 19 39 72 -33 35
10. Arbroath 36 3 6 27 30 77 -47 15