Ben Krauhaus stabs the ball homeSNS

Aberdeen haven't beaten Falkirk in the topflight since 2010

At a glance

  • Krauhaus gives Falkirk victory over Aberdeen with 73rd-minute strike

  • Both sides pass up chances as Dons' woes continue

  • Falkirk win back-to-back Premiership games for first time since 2009

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28/10/26

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Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland

Falkirk made it three Scottish Premiership wins in a row to edge into the top half of the league as a Ben Krauhaus strike gave them victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

For a long time, the game seemed destined to end goalless as both sides passed up chances - no one more guilty than Ayoub Mouloua, who put a one-on-one straight at Falkirk keeper Scott Bain.

But it was the substitute Krauhaus, making his return from injury, who was the only man that had the nerve to stick his chance away.

When played in by Ryan Strain in the box, the 23-year-old stabbed it first time through a few Aberdeen bodies to fire past the impressive Marius Muller in the Aberdeen goal.

The Dons goalkeeper made a few good saves in the first half to deny Finley Barbrook, another of Falkirk's loan stars who look to be adapting to life north of the border.

John McGlynn's side are now up to sixth while Aberdeen languish in ninth, just three points clear of bottom spot.

FT momentumOpta

Aberdeen analysis: Beleaguered Dons battered and bruised

Despite the frustrating result against Dundee United on Saturday, confidence could be taken from the performance.

It was hard to tell that from the showing against Falkirk.

Two well-taken goals should have added some swagger but instead, they reverted to type and looked unlikely to ever get themselves on the scoresheet.

Again they had a higher expected goals, more shots, more shots on target, and touches in the opposition box than their opponents. But they were met with boos as they walked from the Pittodrie pitch.

Mouloua's chance will haunt him, while the Brad Lyons opportunity in the second-half - which was blocked by desperate Falkirk defending - simply had to end in a goal.

There were further chances for Kevin Nisbet and Chris Cadden but it was scant consolation for Robinson, who has just three wins from his first 11 league games.

The return of Dan Happe did not add much solidity to the backline, with Jack Milne rested ahead of Saturday's League Cup semi-final against Rangers.

It's a trip to Hampden that few Aberdeen fans will be actively looking forward to.

Graphic

Falkirk analysis: New-look side well and truly gelled

John McGlynn's side won here in August last season - their first victory in the league in that campaign - and it truly announced them as a top-flight side.

There was an air of that again, albeit they've already got a few wins under their belt this time round.

But the complete rebuild at Falkirk over the summer, given how their squad was picked apart by bigger clubs, meant there was a sense of a fresh start this season.

It took a wee while to come, and there were some doubts from even diehard Falkirk fans that McGlynn could repeat his magic.

Just as he did last season, the Falkirk manager appears to have cracked the loan market - Owen Eames is a real threat on the left, Finley Barbrook is impressing in the 10, while Krauhaus came on and got the winner.

Even veteran campaigner Ethan Ross looks to have a new lease of life, beginning to fill the sizeable shoes of Calvin Miller, while right-back Ryan Strain registered his fifth assist of the season before November.

Three wins on the spin is not something they managed in the league last season, despite their plaudits.

It was McGlynn who pointed that out post-match, keen to keep his players feet on the ground. One thing is for sure, they'll need to be at their flying best on Sunday when they play Celtic at home.

What they said

Aberdeen's Robinson on defeat to Falkirk

Aberdeen head coach Stephen Robinson: "I'm not going to pinpoint individuals, as a collective it wasn't good enough and we have to hold our hands up. It's raw at the moment. We have to look at it tonight, there won't be a lot of sleep.

"I'll just get on with my job. You have to get results, otherwise you know the inevitable.

"I believe given time [we will go in the right direction] but time is not something you get given a lot in football."

Falkirk manager John McGlynn: "Delighted to win. Coming to Aberdeen isn't easy at any time. It wasn't a classic, we've played better and Stephen [Robinson] might say the same.

"We've won three in a row, which is not easy in the Premiership. Delighted with that. It wasn't pleasing on the eye, we need to pass the ball better, but you take it over the course of a season."

Player of the match

B. Krauhaus
8.03
27 M. Müller
3.89
2 N. Devlin
3.67
17 S. Armstrong
3.61
40 F. Marshall
3.36
24 N. Guinness-Walker
3.34
32 A. Aremu
3.33
21 G. Molloy
3.13
9 A. Mouloua
3.11
22 J. Milne
3.00
8 B. Lyons
2.99
11 L. Smith
2.84
28 C. Cadden
2.81
14 H. Mahou
2.78
15 K. Nisbet
2.75
26 D. Happe
2.75
20 T. Olusanya
2.64
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