Goals from Claudio Braga and Stephen Kingsley gave Hearts a precious victory over Falkirk in atrocious conditions as the Scottish Premiership leaders stretched six points clear of Celtic.
What did you make of Falkirk's performance?
Image source, SNSFalkirk manager John McGlynn: "The key moments are the goals. The game's hardly started and we're a goal down.
"We did really well to stay in the game and worked hard. The moment for us is when Kyrell [Wilson] goes round the goalkeeper. If he scores that, it's level and we get a massive lift from that and it puts pressure on Hearts.
"We probably didn't do enough in the second half. We got into some good positions in the wide areas but our crossing wasn't great. So, quality in the final third is what I'm frustrated at."
On Harry Milne's block with his arm from Wilson's shot, McGlynn accepts it was not a penalty.
"I haven't seen it, but that seems to be the verdict I'm getting from everyone else," he said. "So fair play."
On going four games without a goal, McGlynn added: "The four games are the four teams above us in the league, who are vying for the league.
"The key games for us at the next two. We go to Kilmarnock and Dundee, these are the games we have to go and score goals and pick up points to keep ourselves in the same area of the league."
Image source, SNSFalkirk boss John McGlynn expects to have an unchanged squad. Keelan Adams (groin), Coll Donaldson (abdomen), Aidan Nesbitt (foot), Gary Oliver (hamstring), Ross MacIver (ankle), Lewis Neilson (ankle) and Tom Lang (foot) are all set to miss out again.
Hearts boss Derek McInnes reported no fresh injury concerns. Midfielders Beni Baningime, Calem Nieuwenhof, Finlay Pollock and Ageu all remain sidelined with hamstring issues.
Image source, SNSJohn McGlynn is relaxed about Falkirk's recent lack of goals as he says the club are still in their Premiership "honeymoon period".
The Bairns sat fifth in the table after a 3-0 win at Dundee United last month but have since draw a blank in three successive games, with back-to-back goalless draws against Rangers and Motherwell followed by last weekend's 3-0 loss at Hibernian.
"The games have been difficult games and so you can understand why maybe they would [dry up]," McGlynn said ahead of Saturday's visit from league leaders Hearts.
"But our goals are shared out, we're not relying on one particular person. They generally come from all over the place. It's not like we've got a number nine who scores 25 goals and he's injured now. Our goals come from all over.
"So as much as we may not have scored in the last three games, we've been picking up points, which is the be all and end all. I'm not concerned about our goals. They'll come from all over the place, really."
McGlynn's excitement for the challenge of the top flight remains undimmed despite slipping back into the bottom six.
"We're still like a team that's come up from League One to the Championship to the Premiership, we're still enjoying it," he said. "That honeymoon period is still there because we've still been getting results.
"The players are still enthusiastic. That's not worn off. We have targets that we want to get to.
"We got 15 points in the first round of 11 games, and we're five games into the second lot of the 11 games and we've picked up six points. So you have to be really working on how many points we need to get to be hitting that target, and we're kind of on course.
"As long as we can have a positive points ratio to games played, then we can keep that cushion [from the teams near the bottom]."
Lewis Neilson's Heart of Midlothian future will be discussed next year when the defender recovers from ankle surgery, with the 22-year-old, who sufffered the injury while on loan to Falkirk, out of contract at the end of the season. (Edinburgh Evening News), external
Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSFalkirk are brimming with confidence and "relishing the challenge" of trying to shock Premiership leaders Hearts, says striker Brian Graham.
John McGlynn's newly-promoted side dropped out of the top six after last weekend's 3-0 loss at Hibs - their first defeat in six games - and are looking to bounce back against Derek McInnes' men at the Falkirk Stadium on Saturday night.
"Every game is big, but obviously the nature of Hearts, won against Celtic last week, sitting top of the table, they've lost one game all season," Graham told Sky Sports.
"We know what sort of challenge it's going to be for us boys, but at the same time you've got to relish it, we've had a relatively good start to the campaign ourselves.
"We had a little blip against Hibs last weekend and it's about going again.
"It's a fantastic game, I'm looking forward to it. It's on TV, it's at eight o'clock on a Saturday night, so we're relishing the challenge.
"I love that narrative that it's a slight dip [in Hearts' form]. They've lost one game in 16, that's some dip by the way.
"We know they're coming here full of confidence but so are we. We've had one defeat in the last six, we've got a really good spirit in that changing room. It's a game we're relishing.
"When you've got a manager the way John is, we knew he would have that belief to get us up the table, but as he keeps saying, it's only a start."
Falkirk are winless in six top-flight meetings with Hearts (D2 L4) since a 2-1 victory in September 2008.
This will be Hearts' first top-flight visit to Falkirk since a 1-0 win in December 2009. Hearts have won their past three away league games at newly-promoted opposition.
Falkirk are unbeaten in six home league matches (W2 D4), their longest run in the top flight since going seven without defeat from October 2006 to January 2007.
With 35 points in 16 games, Hearts have made the best start to a top-flight season by a non-Old Firm club since 2005-06, when Hearts themselves had 37 points in their opening 16 games.
Hearts forward Claudio Braga has scored more away goals in the Premiership this season than any other player, with five of his seven strikes coming on the road, including last time out at Celtic.
Grant Heaney
Fan writer
A 3-0 defeat is never easy to swallow, but Bairns fans shouldn't be too downhearted by the loss to Hibernian.
Our trip to the capital marked our third game in just six days - a tough run against teams sitting in the top five.
Considering we avoided defeat in two of those matches and kept a couple of clean sheets along the way, it is another sign of real progress as the season moves forward.
While a 3-0 reverse stings, the scoreline doesn't tell the full story. Yes, the Hibees were worthy winners, but we had a goal chalked off for a razor-thin offside call, and were denied a penalty in a situation almost identical to one David Gray's side were awarded a spot-kick for at the Falkirk Stadium earlier in the campaign.
It's also worth remembering the Bairns were enjoying a five-game unbeaten run before Saturday's trip to Easter Road.
The defeat was only our second across our last 10 Premiership matches, underlining the consistency the team has shown this season.
Adversity often reveals more about a team's character than victories, and that has been a hallmark of John McGlynn's tenure.
Whether the Bairns can respond to this setback at the first time of asking against table-topping Hearts on Saturday night will be a tall order, but the overall picture so far is encouraging.
Martin Boyle won Hibernian's sixth penalty of the Scottish Premiership season - more than any other team - in their 3-0 win at home to Falkirk on Saturday.
The Australia winger took it himself to open the scoring, but former Aberdeen and Rangers full-back Richard Foster thinks Falkirk's Filip Lissah was unfortunate to concede the spot kick after 36 minutes.
"I think Martin Boyle is quite cute here and quite clever and I think he initiates the contact and I don't think there's much the defender can do," Foster said on BBC Scotland's Sportscene.
"It is a brilliant pass from Josh Mulligan, a nice weight, and, if you watch Boyle, he runs across the defender and, if there is any contact, it is absolutely minimal.
"And, if there is any contact, he initiates it. I think they were lucky to get that."
Watch highlights of Hibernian's 3-0 win against Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership.
We asked for your views on Falkirk's 3-0 defeat against Hibernian.
Here's what some of you said:
Nathan: Just not at the races sadly. Slack, slow and really off the pace throughout the first half. We improved slightly in the second half but all in all we were second best and Hibs were probably deserved winners.
Neil: As a Falkirk fan, we know we'll have hard days, but the team have done well so far and another fantastic Falkirk away support today. A club on the up.
David: Hard shift with the third game in six days. Hibs deserved the three points, however we will learn from this going forward. Massive opportunity to take another step forward next Saturday night when the Jambos come calling. Always a tasty fixture. John McGlynn can put up his feet for a couple of days and then start to plot the downfall of the boys in maroon.
Ellis: Sometimes you need to take your medicine and this was one of those times. Points gained against top-six teams are a bonus for us and away to Hibs won't define our season. Fancy three points against Hearts next week at home.
Image source, SNSFalkirk manager John McGlynn: "Forget the scoreline. I expected Hibs to come at us. They've lost their last two, they're at home, we're the newly-promoted team.
"We were makers of our own downfall. We've got our own style of playing, that's no secret, we've been doing the same thing for a few years now.
"We lose the ball deep in our own half for both the first and second goal. We were a little threat in the first half, but coming in 2-0 down we looked sluggish from the game on Wednesday.
"The second half was much better. We've put the ball in the back of the net, and if that goes for us that's 2-1. We were the better team in the second half and it could have been a turning point.
"They gave it everything in the second half, so I'm much happier with that performance. We've done well to defend a number of set plays in the first half. It was disappointing to lose the goals when we were in possession of the ball.
"We're not going to crucify ourselves. We dust ourselves down and get ready for Hearts next week. Today, it was just a little bit too far for us."
Hibernian moved to fourth in the Scottish Premiership for now and shrugged top-six chasers Falkirk aside in a comfortable win at Easter Road.
Image source, SNSGrant Hanley returns from suspension but Nicky Cadden drops out for Hibs with a calf injury while Junior Hoilett and Jordan Obita (hamstring) are doubts.
Thibault Klidje will be back in training next week. Rudi Molotnikov (ankle) remains out.
Falkirk have a doubt over Keelan Adams (groin) while Coll Donaldson and Aidan Nesbitt are building up their fitness after long-term absences.
Gary Oliver (hamstring), Ross MacIver (ankle), Lewis Neilson (ankle) and Tom Lang (foot) remain on the sidelines.
Image source, SNSAssistant manager Paul Smith has emphasised the importance of squad depth as Falkirk prepare for their third game inside a week.
The Bairns have recorded back-to-back goalless draws against Rangers and Motherwell, and travel to Easter Road on Saturday to face Hibernian.
"Three (consecutive) clean sheets is great for the full team," Smith told Falkirk TV.
"I think it shows how important the squad is. We made five changes on Wednesday. Finn Yeats, who has not even been making the bench, showed great fitness for 60 minutes.
"It's just a fantastic squad. We don't have a lot of time to get ready for Saturday's game, always a difficult place to go, Easter Road.
"But it was a fantastic game, 2-2 here, the last time and I'm sure it will be an exciting game again.
"Obviously we rested a few boys so they will be a wee bit fresher come Saturday."
Image source, SNSHibs are unbeaten in 18 top-flight home games against newly-promoted opponents (W8 D10) since a 1-0 defeat to Ross County in December 2012 under Pat Fenlon.
Falkirk are winless in 11 top-flight meetings with Hibs (D5 L6) since a 2-1 victory in December 2006 under John Hughes.
Hibs have lost their past two league games – as many as their previous 15 beforehand (W5 D8) – while they last lost three in a row in October 2024. Hibs could also lose back-to-back home league games for the first time since May 2024.
Falkirk have kept a clean sheet in three successive league games, last doing so four times running in the Premiership in March 2008. Their last two, though, have been goalless. The last side to play out three consecutive 0-0 draws in the top flight were Hibs in March 2022.
No side have had more penalties in the Scottish Premiership this season than Hibs (five), with the Easter Road team scoring four of their spot-kicks – just one fewer than they did in the whole of last season's competition (five).
Sportscene pundit Scott Allan analyses how Falkirk boss John McGlynn's tactical set-up disrupted the "fluidity" of in-form visitors Motherwell in the goalless draw.
We asked for your views following Falkirk's 0-0 draw with Motherwell last night.
Here's what some of you said:
Paul: In McGlynn we trust! What a job him and Paul Smith are doing. With key players rested last night I fancy us to take all three points at Easter Road on Saturday.
Clovis: A decent point in the end although I can't help feeling we could've taken all three had we been a bit more ruthless up top. A much-changed team though and another point in the bag towards staying up, mustn't grumble!
Al: As thoroughly enjoyable 0-0 draw that you could see. Each side had long-ish spells on top so a draw a fair result. Filip Lissah is an exceptional talent and the 22-year-old has been the best defender on view in each of the handful of games he has played at the top level in Scotland.
David: I think McGlynn got his team selection and tactics right. Motherwell are the best football team we have faced this season and we restricted them to only the odd chance. Three clean sheets in a row and no ground lost in the league. We move on to Saturday and hopefully we can get a win to round off a tough six days.
Scott: Very strange starting 11 which almost worked for us Lissah is a lovely footballer.
Highlights: Falkirk 0-0 Motherwell
Watch the best of the action as Falkirk and Motherwell play out a goalless stalemate. (Available to UK users only)
Dunfermline Athletic head coach Neil Lennon says the Scottish Championship club are determined to strengthen their striking options in January as he fears the possible recall by Falkirk of on-loan Barney Stewart because of an injury to Ross MacIver. (The Courier), external
Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Falkirk manager John McGlynn: "I think it was a tactical battle.
"We tried to cancel Motherwell out because they're a very good team, pass the ball well and have some great rotations and movements. You have to be so switched on.
"But we were very brave. We more or less went man for man all over the place.
"I thought we were close to them and made it difficult for them. We knew we would have to do that."
Image source, SNS
