Wick Academy manager Gary Manson was left wondering what could have been had Falkirk not scored the opener in the latter stages of the first half.
The Bairns went on to triumph 6-0 in the Scottish Cup third round tie at Harmsworth Park, to secure a safe passage into Monday’s draw.
Wick had held firm against their League One opponents in blustery conditions, until Rumarn Burrell opened the scoring five minutes before the interval.
Falkirk went on to triumph comfortably, courtesy of second half goals from Craig McGuffie, Coll Donaldson, Brad Mckay and a Gary Oliver double.
Manson felt the timing of the opening goal came as a setback to his side’s hopes of causing an upset.
He said: “The goal before half-time was far from ideal as we were keeping them at bay quite well in the first half. It didn’t knock the stuffing out of us, but it was a bit of a body blow.
“If we got in at 0-0 at half-time it might have been slightly different, it may have given us something to defend and try to hit them on the counter. But it just never happened, the second half was always going to be backs against the wall.
“The most disappointing aspect was the goals. They were more or less all set-pieces, and not ones where guys were winning dominant headers. It was more the second balls which were bouncing in the box, and they were first on to it to score from a yard out.”
Wick were lively in the opening stages, with Richard Macadie flashing an effort over from a narrow angle after Nicky Hogarth had parried away a Ross Allan corner.
The Scorries at times unsettled their full-time opponents, with Macadie latching on to a loose ball before striking straight at Hogarth on 21 minutes.
The Bairns began to up their threat however, with Burrell sending a strike inches past the far post from an acute angle.
The visitors’ pressure told, as they grabbed a timely lead five minutes before the break. After Mckay saw his initial header from a Kai Kennedy free-kick saved, Burrell was on hand to knock the ball home from close range.
With the wind behind their backs, Falkirk emerged intent on killing off the game in the early stages of the second half. They doubled their lead on the hour mark, when McGuffie’s effort from the edge of the box was ruled to have crossed the line despite the Wick defence’s best efforts to clear.
A quickfire double from substitute Oliver made it four, with the attacker firstly meeting a Kennedy free-kick to nod home at the far post on 63 minutes.
His second came from the penalty spot seven minutes later, coolly sending Williamson the wrong way after he had been tripped by Joe Anderson.
Falkirk added further goals, with former Caley Thistle defenders Donaldson and Mckay both on the end of set-pieces to secure a comfortable passage for John McGlynn’s side.
Bairns boss McGlynn was thrilled with the way his side navigated the potential pitfalls which stood in their way.
He said: “This is Scottish Cup football. For us it was a five-and-a-bit hour journey up.
“We were told about the slope but I had never been up here before, so we couldn’t underestimate that. The wind was another factor in making it a leveller, and the pitch was always going to cut up and be a bit bobbly.
“All of these things taken into consideration, I’m really pleased with the attitude of the players.”
WICK ACADEMY (4-4-1-1) – Williamson 6; Hughes 6, Allan 6, Anderson 6, Campbell 6 (C Farquhar 71); M Macadie 6 (Mackintosh 79), Halliday 7 (Montgomery 79), Henry 6 (Flett 71), Hennem 6 (Macleod 71); R Macadie 7; MacNab 6. Subs not used – More, A Farquhar.
FALKIRK (4-2-3-1) – Hogarth 6; Mckay 6, Donaldson 6, Henderson 6, McCann 6 (Mackie 66); Hetherington 6 (Yeats 66), McGinn 7; McGuffie 7 (Ross 71), Lawal 5 (Nisbet 46), Kennedy 8; Burrell 7 (Oliver 50). Subs not used – Martin.
Referee – Barry Cook 6
Attendance – 1,200
Man of the match – Kai Kennedy
Conversation