Falkirk beat The Spartans 4-0 at The Falkirk Stadium this afternoon in their final Premier Sports Cup group stage fixture.

Dylan Tait scored in the first half, with Scott Arfield adding a second after the break, before Calvin Miller struck twice to round off an emphatic second-half display.

The Bairns entered the match knowing that only a win would keep their hopes of progressing as a seeded team alive.

Several sides, such as Premiership rivals Hearts, have already made it through on the maximum 12 points.

Team News

After the midweek win over Queen’s Park, John McGlynn spoke about rotating between goalkeepers Nicky Hogarth and Scott Bain ahead of the league season.

That policy continued today, with the former Celtic stopper returning to the starting line-up in place of Hogarth.

McGlynn has yet to confirm his first-choice goalkeeper for next Sunday’s Premiership opener against Dundee United, the club’s first top-flight fixture in 15 years.

Also returning to the Bairns’ starting XI were Brian Graham, Tuesday night’s goal scorer, and talisman Scott Arfield.

The Spartans needed a win to have any chance of leapfrogging Cove Rangers into second.

They made changes themselves, including rotating their goalkeeper with Paddy Martin coming in.

There was still no place for Jordan Tapping, who rejoined the club this summer after more than a year out of football in Australia.

First Half

Falkirk started brightly, particularly through Ethan Ross, who was fresh from scoring twice on Tuesday evening.

His pace and delivery caused problems for the Spartans down their right-hand side.

The Bairns made their pressure count before the half-hour mark.

Brad Spencer whipped in a corner that Brian Graham met with a powerful header. Although his effort was blocked, Dylan Tait reacted quickest and smashed home the rebound.

Spartans nearly found an unlikely equaliser late in the half when Liam Henderson misjudged a cross and almost diverted it into his own net, the ball skimming just over the bar.

The score remained 1–0 at the break despite Falkirk’s dominance.

Second Half

That changed early in the second half. Arfield raced through one-on-one with Paddy Martin on the left side of the box and coolly slotted the ball beneath the Spartans’ goalkeeper to double the lead.

Moments later, Arfield turned provider. The former Rangers midfielder fizzed a low cross into the box, where Keelan Adams pounced.

His shot was blocked on the line, but Calvin Miller followed in to bundle the ball over and seal a comfortable win for Falkirk.

Bain would make an excellent save to deny Bradley Whyte to ensure his competitive clean sheet record with the Bairns remained intact.

Substitute Alfredo Agyeman turned provider for Miller’s second and Falkirk’s fourth.

The Ghanaian picked up the ball on the left wing and delivered a pinpoint cross onto the foot of Miller, who volleyed it home.

Falkirk had a couple of chances for a fifth, and a few penalty shouts were waved away, but the match finished 4-0 to the hosts, who advanced to the last 16.

Despite their unbeaten group record, the Bairns go into the next stage unseeded, with Hearts, St Johnstone and Partick Thistle all joining the five Scottish European representatives as the seeded sides after finishing their groups on the maximum 12 points.

Falkirk will now turn their attention to their Premiership return against Dundee United this weekend, while the Spartans will return to League 2 action against Lowland League winners East Kilbride.

Attendance: 2,312