Hibs warned of Falkirk pitch 'carnage' as hosts show 'boom it' strength ahead of clash with European impact

Hibs have been told by a former player that a difficult playing surface awaits them in Falkirk this weekend.

David Gray’s side lost 2-1 against Celtic on Sunday in their latest Premiership match, compounded by a Falkirk win over Motherwell, moving the sixth-placed side just two points behind the Easter Road outfit one place above them. Falkirk have already defeated Hibs 4-1 in Grangemouth this season and drew another meeting 2-2. Fifth spot could become a European place if Celtic win the Scottish Cup and victory for the visitors this weekend is paramount, as it could see a race to that spot entering the final week of the season.

Paul McGinn captained Motherwell during the weekend defeat against a team they have failed to beat this term. The former Hibs defender explained the difficulties that Falkirk’s Astroturf pitch brought them but admitted Motherwell simply didn’t do enough outside that to achieve success.

What are Falkirk advantages on AstroTurf pitch?

There’s also the Bairns ability to send it longer to talisman Barney Stewart with great effect. McGinn said: “I don't think we played particularly well, especially the boys that have been so good for us of late. That pitch is so hard so I'm not going to be hard on them. You can tell they train on it every day and they know how to play it. Fair play to them.

“They seem to have us. Fair play to them, even there I thought they edged it, and had better chances in the game. Maybe we had one at the end, I don't know how we don't squeeze it over. I thought we huffed and puffed a bit and they deserved it. We tried the high wingers again out here, but again, I think we might have changed a wee bit earlier. You see that pitch, it's carnage.

“I think Falkirk maybe have us on physicality up front, where they can just boom it, and then win the second ball a bit better than we do. So they can press us quite hard into Eli Just and into Callum Slattery. It's up to us to try and deal with that and get the better of that.

Falkirk 1-0 Motherwell verdict

“We didn't do that. I felt as if even at their goal, I win the header, Calvin Miller knows it's going to land. He hooks it into somebody and they're at us again. So yeah, that's probably something we have got to do better at. If we go back home and we don't win, I'll not be looking forward to it.

“We've been so strong and I thought Falkirk had to be good to beat us. So yeah, every team knows that they're playing a good team. Hopefully back at Fir Park we can show how strong we are again. Under the lights as well which is nice. I imagine they'll be sold out. It should be good games and it's good ones to try and bounce back from this.”

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