Falkirk 1
Dundee 0
Challenge Cup (2nd Round)

Match Report

A year ago this week and at the same stage of the same competition Dundee were well beaten by lower league Stenhousemuir after turning in a performance which then boss Gordon Chisholm described as "embarrassing".

This years 2nd Round Tie handed Dundee a trip to Falkirk only 2 and a half miles from the scene of that 4-1 hammering. Although some of the personnel in the side were the same this is a much different team a year on but the end result of the tie was the same.

Falkirk only needed a single goal to advance in the competition and that came right on half time as 16 year old Craig Sibbald and Farid El Allagui sprung the offside trap and the youngster laid it across for striker El Allagui to tap home.

Dundee made two changes to the side that opened the league season with a 1-0 victory at Partick on Saturday. Ross Chisholm dropped out altogether due to injury and Leighton McIntosh had to be content with a place on the bench.

Nicky Riley and Neil McGregor both came in for their first starts of the season. That meant Jamie McCluskey moved to a further forward role, playing in behind striker Jake Hyde.

Both teams started the match quite quickly with Stephen O'Donnell shooting over within a minute and Falkirk also having a shot early on. Young Sibbald saw his effort blocked by Craig McKeown. Falkirk then had two men in behind and look set to take the lead but a late assistant referee's flag stop the attack on that occasion but the move should have been a warning for the Dundee defence.

The sides continued to both pushed on and Falkirk got the ball over only for Fulton not to get the touch required. Moments later Dundee did similar when Riley crossed but Hyde couldn't turn in before Lockwood shot over.

There was a couple of half chances for both teams, mainly efforts from outside the area before Lockwood looked to have placed the ball perfectly onto Hyde's head but the striker was falling backwards and could only help it wide.

Moments late and the move that should have acted as a warning earlier this time saw Falkirk get players in behind. Sibbald had plenty time to get the ball under control and made no mistake picking out El Allagui to tap home into the empty net.

That was right on half time and after the break Dundee did come out on the front foot. Hyde = heading straight at McGovern before Riley almost caught out the keeper chasing down a short back pass but the Falkirk man got there first and booted clear.

Dundee continued with most of the efforts on goal but Falkirk did come back into it and Mark Millar forced Rab Douglas into a save after driving forward from midfield.

Douglas was again called into action when Rhys Bennett skipped past Craig McKeown and laid the ball back to Kallum Higginbotham. The Falkirk striker hammered a shot at goal but Douglas pushed it away before Bennett followed up, heading across the face and Dundee cleared.

As Falkirk took control, Dundee's chances became few and far between. O'Donnell saw a shot from a tight angle saved before Barry Smith made changes. Graham Webster and Leighton McIntosh coming on for Ryan Conroy and Neil McGregor.

Matt Lockwood tested McGovern with a free kick from out wide but that was it really for Dundee's chances.

El Allagui had the final chance to double his and Falkirk's tally but fired well over the top.

Match report written by James Christie/Official Dundee website