Dundee...................0 Falkirk.....................2

It was Falkirk's version of a Morecambe and Wise act. The man from Morecambe, Jamie McGowan, scored not only his first goals of the season, but his first-ever double. Mr Wise is the down-to-earth

manager Alex Totten, who not only has kept his Bairns on the fringe of the promotion race, but also is plotting a Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic at Ibrox on Saturday.

And just for good measure, Totten and his squad have a derby match against the first division's form team, Stirling Albion, at Brockville tonight - a game brought forward from Saturday which will enable Andy Gray to see off his suspension and be available to face Celtic.

Falkirk's victory on Saturday was all the more remarkable in that they travelled to Dens Park - their team bus broke down en route and they arrived just before 2.30 - and seemed to put not only their cup aspirations on hold, but Dundee as well.

It was a simple demolition job on the Dens men, who now must travel to Broadwood on Saturday and defeat second-placed Airdrie to maintain any hope of making the promotion play-off place.

Dundee manager John

McCormack called the loss of both goals ''unprofessional'' in that they came from set-pieces caused by needless fouls.

He said: ''Adamczuk brought down Scott Crabbe when he was going away from goal, and

Robbie Raeside armed the ball when it would have been just as easy to head it away.

''There's no question about the effort of my players, but unfortunately, sometimes it's channelled the wrong way.''

Falkirk's livewire Kevin McAllister found the right

channel twice - and that was the head of McGowan.

In 68 minutes, McAllister's free kick from the left was

bulleted home by the Falkirk defender, and two minutes later it was virtually an action replay as the ball again ended in the Dundee net.

McGowan praised giant

defender Kevin James when he said: ''Most teams think that our free kicks will go to big Kevin. But he draws the defence and gives others the space.''

And, as for Falkirk's defence - which will have to be just as tight when they come up against Paolo Di Canio, Jorge Cadete and Co. - the 26-year-old former Dundee player said:

''We try to keep things tight. Our keeper, Craig Nelson, is a good shot stopper, so the further out we keep the opposition, the better.

''As for Celtic, our attitude will be the same - win your own

private battles, mark your man, close him down.

''I don't know much about Tommy Johnson, but I reckon the other Celtic forwards are probably the best in the premier division. Realistically, however, we think we have a chance. We don't want to let our town down.'' With only two defeats in 13 league and cup games, you get the impression that Falkirk quietly fancy their chances of an upset.

Then it was back to earth. McGowan said: ''First, we have a game against Stirling Albion, and the way they have been playing, it won't be easy.''

McCormack's disappointment not only stemmed from the loss of the goals, but also the fact that Dundee did have a lot of possession without doing a great deal with it.

They created few chances after a lively opening spell when Kevin Magee and Iain Anderson looked menacing.

Dundee's new signing, Eddie Annand, had what manager McCormack described as ''a quiet debut.'' But the irony is that in 59 minutes he did have a magnificent chance when he was through on goal, but Nelson brought off a superb, blocking save.

It was the turning point that could mean the difference be- tween premier and first division football next season.

The promotion play-off pros- pects for both sides are begin- ning to look distant, despite Falkirk's victory.

Airdrie, in second place now, have stretched their lead over third-placed Dundee to five points, leading to manager McCormack's observation that next week's match will be ''make or break time.''

And with talks still ongoing about future ownership of the club, that could be true this week in more ways than one.

With St Mirren also slipping up on Saturday, Falkirk are back in the hunt with five games to go, albeit eight points adrift of Airdrie, and it does not take a mathematician to work out that three points tonight, plus a Dundee victory at Broadwood next week, will make the

situation more than interesting.