Falkirk played with intent from the first whistle with Peterhead pegged back straight away, Aidan Nesbitt was sent through on goal after six minutes with Stuart McKenzie stretching to deny the Bairns winger.
McKenzie rectified himself a couple of minutes later after an attempted clearance was blocked by Stephen McGinn with the Blue Toon custodian blocking the effort before offside stopped the hosts in their tracks, The shot stopper was called into action on 15 minutes saving down low from a Callumn Morrison drive.
It was all one-way traffic but Peterhead showed resilience and grew into the game per passing minute, there was very little significance for Brian Kinnear in the Falkirk goal to worry about but Kieran Shanks and Josh Oyinsan were battling for every lost cause. On 25 minutes, Wilkie delivered a great ball in from the left but Kinnear gathered up at the first chance.
Peterhead continued to be organised as the half progressed with frustration beginning to creep into Falkirk, every avenue was searched by the hosts but the trio of Jason Brown, Ryan Strachan, and Kevin Joshua were colossal in the box.
Falkirk took the lead on 59 minutes, a good ball came into the area from Kai Kennedy with Max Kucheriavyi slotting into the net from 18 yards past the stranded McKenzie that was disappointing for the visitors but a reward for all the hard work from the hosts who were creative but just couldn’t score until that point.
The hosts doubled their lead with 22 minutes left, an excellent ball came in from the right by Kucheriavji that was met by the onrushing Coll Donaldson who guided his flying header beyond the reach of the Blue Toon backline to make it 2-0.
It was game, set and match for Falkirk with 11 minutes remaining with a stunning long-range strike from Craig McGuffie to make it 3-0, the Bairns playmaker took the ball halfway and rifled an audacious effort that caught even McKenzie by surprise and it looped in under the Blue Toon goalie and in.
Anyone of a Falkirk contingent definitely got their entry fee’s worth as with five minutes left, McGuffie scored another beauty with a volley that bunged straight into the net to complete a good day at the office for the hosts.
The hosts got a penalty in the dying stages after Kevin Joshua fouled. Up stepped McGuffie for his hat-trick who dispatched with composure into the bottom right corner.
For Peterhead, it’s down but not out, there’s still a long way to go in the season and a lot of battles and scraps to be won between now and May. The one thing you’ll get with a Davie Robertson team though is a determination to fight to the end.
Davie Robertson said, “For 60 minutes we did well defensively, when you go to a place like Falkirk who are riding high, you have to try and ride out their threats, the boys showed a lot of steel and courage but it’s always tough when you go a goal behind. They had a few wonder strikes to be fair.
“We’ve learned a lot about the players individually and collectively.”
Full-Time Falkirk 5-0 Peterhead
