After finding themselves down by 17-3 in the first quarter of the match a dramatic injury time try from a battling and very determined Falkirk side sealed a deserved victory over a gallant Musselburgh side in a tremendously entertaining and nail-biting encounter at Stoneyhill last weekend.

Catching Falkirk on the hop Musselburgh opened strongly when their Stand-Off Danny Owenson converted a second minute penalty,and following a period of concerted pressure in Falkirk's 22 metre area Left-Winger Sandy Watt sped over in the corner for the opening try three minutes later, which was converted by Owenson Very shortly afterwards Liam Brims converted a penalty for Falkirk but there was more woe to follow for the visitors as they lost the services of their Open Side Flanker Marko Mladenovic in the 12th minute with a nasty knee injury, which cruelly rules him out of this coming Saturday's European Nation's International in Malta where he was due to Captain his native Cyprus side against the Maltese.

Giving the Sunnysiders little time to recover from that 'Burgh were back on the charge again two minutes before the end of the first quarter when Owenson crashed over from a five metre ruck before converting his own try. However, Falkirk responded positively, direct from the restart with an impressive passage of play which took them into the home side's last quarter of the field from where Liam Brims picked his angle of attack to perfection in breaking through for a neat try under the posts, which Simon Rolleston duly converted.

No doubt encouraged by that Falkirk mounted another attack on the half hour mark when Right-Winger Kyle Rowe showed a clean pair of heels with a lengthy touchline hugging break before passing inside to Flanker Gregor Brodie who then charged over in the corner for Falkirk's second try. which Brims presently converted. Nevertheless Musselburgh retaliated with a converted try in the 34th minute only for Brims to counter with a penalty conversion some four minutes later and with the end of the half rapidly approaching Kyle Rowe appeared on the opposite wing, following a line-out on midfield and slick handling from the backs to put fellow winger Angus Rennie bulleting through for a spectacular team try with Brims slotting over for the extra two points.

HT: Musselburgh 24 vs Falkirk 27

In an absolutely disastrous start to the second half Falkirk's Full-Back Craig Robertson was yellow carded in the 46th minute for what looked like a pretty soft late tackle and Flanker Angus Inwood also saw yellow in the 50th minute, so it was pretty much a case of all hands to the pumps!! Despite virtual encampment in their 22 metre area brave, stubborn and resolute defending from the remaining thirteen players prevented 'Burgh from capitalising and it was only when the players retook the field that Owenson converted a penalty in the 64th minute.

However another magnificent counter from Falkirk saw them mount a charge from their own half with Rowe receiving the ball on half way near the touchline and he completely outstripped the home side's defenders for an outstanding try, with Brims banging over the difficult conversion from the touchline. Such was the see-saw nature of the match though that Musselburgh tied the encounter at 34-34 in the 77th minute when Sandy Watt scampered over for his brace of tries and Owenson converted.

In an absolutely titanic ending Rollerston missed a penalty nearly at full time and a draw looked inevitable but a Falkirk penalty was kicked too touch as the visitors went for the win, a lung busting surge from a five metre ruck saw Gregor Brodie driven over for the winning try and be enveloped by his jubilant teammates.

FT: Musselburgh 34 vs Falkirk 39

Falkirk Team 1.John McKenna 2.Andrew Simpson 3.Lewis Skinner 4.Stewart McCulloch 5.Craig Hamilton 6.Angus Inwood 7.Marko Mladenovic 8.Jake Eaglesham 9.Harry Russell[Capt.] 10.Liam Brims 11.Angus Rennie 12.Simon Rolleston 13.Andrew Hamilton 14.Kyle Rowe 15.Craig Robertson Subs.16.Andrew Gillespie 17.David Stoddart 18.Gregor Brodie 19.Gary Dempsey 20.Jacob Adamson.

This Week Falkirk entertain Glasgow Hutcheson Aloysians at Sunnyside, Kick-Off is at 3.00 p.m.