THE blast of a whistle late last night was a signal for Falkirk to return to their corner.
They had delivered a knockout blow to Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup and the exultant players had taken to punching the air. It is a celebration universal in sport but this was a Falkirk victory which can be described by borrowing from the vernacular of boxing.
A team of bantam players stopped their league rivals in the sixth round. This was not the rumble in the jungle but rather a tiff on the Nith.
It was a cup tie decided by a single goal from Craig Sibbald in the first half but in which a persistent, driving wind also had a say, although Falkirk fans floated toilet paper into the air at first as a source of amusement rather than an indictment on the game. They may have reconsidered after both Tom Taiwo and Rory Loy lifted shots high over the crossbar during the early, cagey exchanges.
"The weather spoiled what could have been a great quarter-final. It spoiled the game," said Peter Houston, the Falkirk manager, who eased concerns about Luke Leahy after the full-back was stretchered off after suffering a head knock late on. "I'm sitting here happy because we are the ones that are in the semi-final."
It took Sibbald to apply a more decisive touch to the ball. In simple terms, the Falkirk midfielder stuck the head on it.
Leahy drilled a cross into the penalty area and Sibbald guided the ball inside the far corner with a deft flick of his napper. Such a movement will bring recrimination in a ring but found appreciation among the Falkirk supporters that had hitherto had cause to shudder on an uncovered terracing. Both Iain Russell and Gavin Reilly - who started his first match since February 14 following a hamstring injury - broke in behind the visiting defence inside the opening 10 minutes only to be caught by an offside flag; Russell prodded a low pass across goal which was hooked clear; and Kevin Holt had another cross battered away for a corner.
Queens have been an enduring rival for Falkirk this season since they share fourth place in the SPFL Championship table, as well as being drawn together in the cup. Their league meetings have been closely-fought too, with two of those fixtures ending in a draw.
It seems suitable that great significance was given to moments decided by the slightest of margins, when an inch, a yard separated a good chance from a goal. A corner six minutes after the break rebounded inside the Falkirk penalty area only for Russell to swipe at fresh air and Reilly then nodded the ball over the crossbar following a looping cross from Michael Paton.
"We're disappointed with how things went. I don't remember us creating anything clear-cut," admitted James Fowler, the Queens manager.
The wind had kept up during the break and favoured the home side in the second half. Yet it carried with it the chants of a travelling support, their rounds keeping rhythm as their side marched closer to a return to Hampden for the first time since the semi-finals of this competition two years ago.
Falkirk fell dramatically to Hibernian that day. It is a tie which might yet be repeated - Hibs play their quarter-final tomorrow as do Celtic and Dundee United. These are the heavyweights who might be sized up in a semi-final bout. Falkirk will have felt last night like giving any one of them a square go.
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