FALKIRK striker Michael Higdon is intending to use his inside knowledge of new Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra to lead the Bairns to a memorable opening day victory, when the two clubs get the new SPL campaign under way in the live lunchtime kick-off at the Falkirk Stadium on Saturday.
Higdon is well aware of the task he faces when he goes toe-to-toe with former Crewe team-mate Bougherra. Even though the pair only played alongside each other for five months, Higdon vividly remembers the £2.5 million player's weaknesses and is pla
nning to expose them on Saturday. He said:
"He is lightning fast but he takes chances so there is an opportunity there for us if he is still taking those chances.
I came up against him in training but not in a competitive game.
"He has played with (Falkirk players] Lee Bullen and Burton O'Brien at Sheffield Wednesday so they know all about him too – we will wait and see."
Higdon, who joined last summer from Crewe, failed to get a sight of goal against Dutch top-flight outfit Heerenveen on Saturday as Falkirk's pre-season tour in the Netherlands ended in a heavy defeat.
Heerenveen went ahead when Michael Dingsdag's fifth minute cross into the six-yard box clipped Jackie McNamara's boot on the way into the net.
They doubled their lead through Brazilian striker Paulo Henrique, who found the corner of the net before a late Donovan Deekman brace finished off the visitors.
Afterwards, Falkirk manager John Hughes said: "Sometimes a defeat like that is the best thing that can happen. Heerenveen do it right and that's something for us to learn and to aspire to."
Falkirk: Olejnik, McNamara, Scobbie (Barr 45), Cregg (McBride 69), Bullen, Aafjes, Arfield (Mitchell 82), McCann, Higdon, Latapy (Stewart 68), Finnigan (J Stewart 65). Subs not used: Barclay, Gibb.
The full article contains 326 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
