'Falkirk use width well'published at 15:13 BST 5 October
Falkirk 0-0 Rangers
Neil McCann
Former Falkirk & Rangers winger on Sky Sports
Falkirk are absolutely battering Rangers in the wide areas.
Henry Cartwright's strike earned Falkirk a point
At a glance
Rangers head coach Martin sacked in wake of fifth draw in seven league games
Visitors lead through Miovski tap-in but Cartwright's second-half strike from distance earns Falkirk point
Rangers in eighth place, 11 points behind leaders Hearts, while Falkirk are 10th
A stunning second-half strike earned Falkirk a Scottish Premiership point and led to the sacking of Rangers head coach Russell Martin.
It looked like the visitors might hang on to the first-half advantage provided by striker Bojan Miovski's first league goal, but a fabulous hit from home substitute Henry Cartwright flew past a bewildered Jack Butland.
Only a fine late save from Butland denied Brian Graham a late winner as Falkirk piled forward in search of all three points.
There was much to admire about the home side's structure, energy and enterprise all match but they couldn't convert their early dominance into a goal and were left stunned by Miovski's tap-in just before half-time, laid on a plate for him with a delicious delivery from deputising left-back Derek Cornelius.
It was one of the few moments of quality before the break from the visitors, who were denied an early breakthrough when Scott Bain's save from Mikey Moore fell to Djeidi Gassama to fire home, only to be ruled offside.
In between that effort being chalked off and Miovski poking home, Falkirk ran Rangers ragged at times with constant movement and threat. Butland made a good save from Ross MacIver before looking on with relief as Kyrell Wilson put the loose ball wide.
There was a similar expression on the English goalkeeper's face when Ethan Williams also blasted narrowly wide with the game still goalless.
The play was scrappier after the break but fiercely contested as Falkirk pushed for an equaliser and Rangers repelled them. MacIver came close to levelling but his header from substitute Alfredo Agyeman's cross dropped wide.
Falkirk, though, would not be denied the equaliser their effort, determination and quality deserved.
It left the travelling Rangers fans furious and the home supporters singing "You're getting sacked in the morning".
With the club losing yet more ground on league leaders Hearts and arch-rivals Celtic, Rangers announced Martin's sacking hours after full-time.
Sportscene analysis: 'Rangers team not functioning'
The only thing Rangers and Martin needed was victories.
For a while it looked like they might get one despite not playing well. Falkirk kept plugging away, however, and Rangers simply couldn't keep them out.
The good work (if not the goodwill) created by the League Cup win over Hibernian and the first Premiership victory at Livingston would only count for something if Rangers could build on it.
They failed in terms of the result and performance. It proved the final straw for the Ibrox board.
No one could begrudge Falkirk a share of the spoils. Had the hosts won, Rangers could not have had too many complaints.
John McGlynn's side are easy on the eye, play some lovely football and cannot be faulted for effort or energy.
If they can find more moments of quality like the one produced by Cartwright, and score more goals, Falkirk will be absolutely fine. They're giving themselves a decent platform on their return to the top tier.
Falkirk manager John McGlynn: "I thought we started the game with a great intensity and pressed really and was gutted for the players to go in down at the break. But we had the spirit to come back and I'm delighted Henry goes on and scores with an amazing strike.
"I think it's no more than we deserved over the whole 96 minutes. All in all, maybe we could've and maybe should've have got all three points."
Rangers head coach Russell Martin: "I see a team who are trying very hard, running as hard as they can, a team who played well at times today, defended really well at times today, but I think we need to really want more.
"Draws won't do anywhere if you really want to go and win things, so we're frustrated.
"I don't think anything I say will help that [fans] right now so we just need to win football matches."
After back-to-back league games on the road for Rangers, it's back to Ibrox when the Premiership resumes in a fortnight with Dundee United heading to Glasgow on Saturday 18 October (15:00).
Falkirk's first assignment after the international break on the same day (also 15:00) could be one for the purists: the Bairns are away to Motherwell.
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Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 19 |
| |
7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 17 |
| |
7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 10 |
| |
7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 9 |
| |
7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 9 |
| |
7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 8 |
| |
7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 8 |
| |
7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 7 | -1 | 8 |
| |
8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 14 | -4 | 6 |
| |
7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 13 | -5 | 6 |
| |
8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 13 | -7 | 6 |
| |
7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 4 |
|
Manager: John McGlynn
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Russell Martin
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: John McGlynn
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Russell Martin
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Scottish Premiership
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
This will be Falkirk’s first competitive meeting with Rangers since a 4-0 League Cup defeat in November 2020, first in the league since a 3-2 Scottish Championship win in March 2016, and first in the top-flight since a 3-0 defeat in January 2010.
Rangers have lost both of their last two league visits to Falkirk, each in the Scottish Championship in 2015-16, while they have never lost three successive trips. In the top-flight, though, the Gers have lost just one of their last 45 games against the Bairns home and away (W38 D6), winning their last 10 in a row since a 1-0 defeat in December 2006 under Paul Le Guen.
Falkirk are conceding an average of 2.0 goals-per-game in the Scottish Premiership this season (12 in 6 games), the most of any side.
Rangers are unbeaten in their last 29 league games against newly promoted opponents, winning 26 of those (D3) since a 0-1 defeat at Livingston in September 2018.
Rangers haven’t lost any of their last 20 Scottish Premiership matches that have come the same weekend after a midweek match in European competition that week (W15 D5) since going down 0-1 to Celtic in September 2023 under Michael Beale. Indeed, the Glasgow side are unbeaten in their last 49 Sunday league games immediately after a Europa League match (excl. qualifiers) on Thursday (W42 D7) since a 0-3 defeat to Celtic in February 2011 under Walter Smith.