Commencing the New Year on a very positive note Falkirk competed strongly to overcome an industrious Dundee High side at Sunnyside last weekend,in an over all seven try thrilling encounter.

Previous to the main event and to mark the 10th anniversary of Falkirk's victory over Garnock in the Shield Final at Murrayfield, a reunion lunch was arranged in the clubhouse for the team who took the field on that memorable day in full attendance.

Taking the initiative from the kick-off Falkirk used the ball well as they forced Dundee back into their 22 metre area with Stand-Off Liam Brims putting in an accurate kick to the corner for Right-Winger Jacob Adamson to latch onto and scamper his way over for Falkirk's opening 2nd minute try, which Brims duly converted. However the Dundonians countered admirably just seven minutes later, when following some impressive phases of play their Left-winger Ronan Joy crashed over for an unconverted try in the corner. In a keenly contested first period of play the only other scores came from back-to-back penalties from Brims in the 28th and 34th minutes respectively, Falkirk had plenty of field position but stout tackling from the visitors kept them in the game.

HT: Falkirk 13 Dundee H.S.F.P. 5.

Falkirk started the 2nd half much the same as they had finished the 1st, where Liam Brims then went on to add a further penalty for the home side four minutes into the half shortly before the roof fell in for the visitors.

Subjecting their opposites to a torrid and incessant period of pressure on their five metre line Falkirk's pack of forwards worked their socks off and from the resultant scrum the man in the middle immediately awarded the Sunnysiders a just penalty try, with Brims promptly slotting over the conversion. Nevertheless Dundee showed a lot of fighting spirit, especially when Falkirk were reduced to 14 men, they countered strongly on the hour mark when their Lock-Forward Neil Turnbull barged over from a five metre ruck and just five minutes later a neat break from Ronan Joy from midfield saw him eat up the ground for Full-Back Blair Cochrane to take the scoring pass with Stand-Off Fraser McKay converting both tries to put the score at 23-19 in Falkirk's favour.

Whether it was a case of the alarm bells ringing in their heads or not but Falkirk came roaring back shortly afterwards when Craig Robertson broke through from just outside High's 22 metre line and chipped the ball into the path of the charging Adamson who then wasted no time at all in scurrying over for his brace of tries. Continuing to get the upper hand Falkirk kept probing away and were rewarded with a further penalty try very near the end of regulation time for yet another scrum infringement by Dundee, Brims added the two points from the conversion, bonus point achieved. To their credit the Dundonians fought to the final whistle when their Right-Winger Isao Matacagi finished off a late injury time surge with an unconverted try in the corner.

FT: Falkirk 34 vs Dundee H.S.F.P 24

Falkirk Team 1.Kris Burney 2.Keith Slade 3.Lewis Skinner 4.John McKenna 5.Craig Hamilton 6.Gregor Brodie 7.Andrew McNab 8.Jake Eaglesham 9.Harry Russell[Capt.] 10.Liam Brims 11.Gary Dempsey 12.Andrew Hamilton 13.Angus Rennie 14.Jacob Adamson 15.Glen Faulds Subs.16.Andrew Gillespie 17.Duncan Scobbie 18.Sean McGlynn 19.Kyle Rowe 20.Craig Robertson.

This week Falkirk are on the road to the Borders where they take on Selkirk under lights with a 3.00 p.m. Kick-Off.