QUEEN of the South embarked on this season's Scottish Cup campaign hoping to repeat last term's remarkable journey all the way to May's final and disprove the theory that lightning could not strike in the same place twice. Instead, however, it wa
s pairs of a different kind that ended those dreams as Scott Arfield and Graham Barrett each scored twice to ease Falkirk into the fifth round.
Queens defended stoically at times and were well served by the quartet of Hampden heroes who started against the Bairns. Skipper Steve Tosh, Neil MacFarlane and Jamie McQuilken formed a significant barrier in an experienced midfield five which also included Barry Wilson, while full-back Bob Harris allowed the Doonhamers' hopes to grow when he sent them into the lead shortly after half-time. However, the fact that lead was so short lived was pivotal to the outcome.
"When Bob Harris hit a tremendous free-kick I thought we had a right good chance to go on and win the game, but we allowed them back in straight away," lamented Queens manager Gordon Chisholm. "There's disappointment we're out the cup, after last year. But there are a lot of positives to take from today."
Chisholm was alluding to his team's improved performance following a dreadful run which has seen them fail to win a league match since October. Yet it was the hosts' sequence of only one victory in their last 11 outings that had many wondering whether a cup shock could be on the cards at Falkirk Stadium. "We made it hard for ourselves," said Falkirk manager John Hughes, "but all credit to the players for digging it out and scoring four goals and taking us into the next round. That's what it was all about before the game."
Arfield put Falkirk ahead with a penalty eight minutes before the break, but Wilson drove home an equaliser just three minutes later.
Harris then put Queens ahead two minutes after the interval when he shot home from 20 yards out but Arfield hauled Falkirk level within a minute when he placed Neil McCann's low cross past Lee Robinson.
Barrett then finished the First Division side off as he pounced to bundle in from close range when Robinson could only parry Darren Barr's volley and then fired in following substitute Mark Stewart's dogged run into the box. The win provided a timely lift for a Falkirk side who know defeat against Rangers at Ibrox this weekend could see them hit the foot of the SPL table.
The full article contains 454 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
