Hearts' strikes perfectly timed

IAN PAUL

8 Mar 1993

WHILE they searched about for consolatory suggestions, like their being able to concentrate solely on their league plight now, Falkirk's leaders were desperately disappointed that they did not overcome Hearts and get a piece of the financial action in the semi-finals of the Tennents Scottish Cup.

The need to supplement their staff is obvious to all, not just manager Jim Jefferies, as he surveys the battle to get away from the relegation chute.

He did have a genuine consolation in that his team jumped a place off the bottom without kicking a ball in league action.

Airdrie's 3-1 defeat by Dundee United demoted them on goal difference to the lowest spot, but the manager knows his task is still immense.

The loss of quality in his team, due to injury and suspension, was graphically illustrated in the 2-0 defeat by Hearts during which Falkirk hardly ever looked like the side who have had deserved praise for their entertaining play this season.

So many players were absent that this was not really surprising, and Jefferies' optimism before the start was based on hope rather than conviction.

For various reasons they were without Fraser Wishart, Joe McLaughlin, John Hughes, Ian McCall, Richard Cadette, and Forbes Johnston.

No team can cope with that depletion, especially one of the less prominent premier sides, and it will be imperative either to get these players back to fitness quickly or buy one or two adequate replacements if Falkirk are to have a chance of making the great escape.

They were not outplayed by Hearts in the cup-tie, but there never seemed much doubt about who would be in the semi-final draw.

Jefferies felt that, considering all the changes, his team did well in the first half.

Few would quarrel with that, nor with his opinion that the second goal left his team devastated.

Any cup hopefuls, already one down, would find it hard to rediscover motivation after giving away a daft penalty before the first minute of the second half had passed.

Neil Duffy, so often a hero for the Brockville club, blew it this time.

When Ian Baird eluded Duffy on the left edge of the penalty area the odds were on that a tackle from behind would produce a penalty.

Sure enough, it did.

And John Robertson smacked it home.

That, allied to the goal scored by Allan Preston -- only his second for the club -- was bound to be enough to settle matters as Falkirk had shown very little penetration.

Kevin McAllister, who still managed to look a good player, conducted a lonesome mission up front, but otherwise there was not much threat to Nicky Walker in the Hearts goal.

The timing of the Hearts scores, just before and just after the interval, was significant, but their general competence was the reason they succeeded, rather than individual excellence.

Alan McLaren was first rate, as was Robertson, but it was team-work which saw them through and gives them the opportunity to make amends for their poor show in the semi-final last season when they were beaten by Airdrie.

"That is history," said manager Joe Jordan.

"It is what we do now that is important."

Jordan was pleased with his side's showing and seemed genuinely excited about the chance to beat Rangers in the semis.

His counterpart, Jefferies, has other things on his mind.

But he took encouragement from one or two aspects of his team's efforts.

"I thought we showed plenty of fight and we didn't fall to pieces after the second goal as we have done on other occasions this season," said Jefferies.

"We will be giving it all we've got to get away from the bottom from now on."

They might have had a cheerier bus run home if Kevin Drinkell, one of the finest headers of a ball in the league, had not taken it upon himself to miss as easy a chance as he will get all season.

Neil Oliver sent over a perfect cross to the far post, where Drinkell was in the clear and rising to meet the ball.

Some of us were looking towards the watch to check the time of the goal when the ball sped outside the post.

The feeling was that if that had gone in Falkirk might have taken a deal more beating.

As it was, they more than held their own until Preston stepped in with the opening goal.

Gary Mackay's cross from the right was not properly cleared and ran on to Preston, who shot it home at the near post.

Then came the penalty and the tie was as good as over.

It did not live up to expectations, but no-one inside the Tynecastle corridors was labouring that point.

Taken from the Herald