Falkirk 1-2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle

Aug 31 2008 Ewan Smith At Falkirk Stadium

JACKIE McNAMARA insists Bairns won't panic despite slumping to a fourth straight SPL defeat.

Sub Dougie Imrie had only been on the park two minutes when he snatched a late winner for Caley.

Yet Falkirk had looked on track for their first point when Mark Stewart found the net - and McNamara admits dodgy defending was his side's downfall.

He said: "There is no point in blaming this defeat on anything other than individual errors.

"We made a few in the first half and when they happened again in the second half it counted against us.

"We didn't defend well at the goals and can't afford to do that.

"But we are not panicking. It's still early in the season."

Inverness were always in control and would have had the points sewn up at the break - but brilliant Bairns keeper Robert Olejnik put up a one-man resistance with a string of super saves.

Adam Rooney could have had a hat-trick and almost netted in nine minutes after the first of several blunders by Scotland new boy Darren Barr.

Barr slipped in the box to give Rooney a clear shot at goal - but Olejnik blocked then denied Garry Wood on the rebound.

At the other end, Falkirk came close when John Stewart got on the end of a Scott Arfield cross to head inches wide of Michael Fraser's goal.

But Craig Brewster's men always had more attacking threat and Barr gifted the ball to Rooney for a second chance in 26 minutes.

The Falkirk star lost possession inside his own area and Rooney raced clear - but quick-footed Olejnik raced off his line to block the teenager's dink.

The keeper's next action was a fingertip save in 36 minutes to turn over a long-range strike from Don Cowie.

The second period began in a similar vein with Caley on the attack.

Iain Vigurs almost netted in 50 minutes, taking the ball from Roy McBain and curling wide from 18 yards.

But against the run of play Falkirk took a 61st-minute lead.

Graham Barrett chased a lost cause down the right then unselfishly cut the ball back for Mark Stewart (pictured left) to side-foot home.

But Bairns' lead lasted just eight minutes as they pressed the self-destruct button in defence again.

Vigurs swung in a corner and unmarked Cowie drove home through a ruck of bodies for the equaliser.

Inverness always looked as if they would get another goal after that - it was just a matter of who would get the honours.

Enter Imrie. Only on the park for two minutes after replacing Vigurs, he was given acres of space to fire the ball into the top corner from 15 yards.

Caley boss Brewster was delighted with his side - and had special praise for his baby-faced strikeforce of Rooney (19) and Wood (20). He said: "From start to finish we were terrific - and this is a difficult place to come and get points.

"The passing was good, our movement was sharp and we showed a lot of energy to get up and down the park.

"On another day we would have scored three or four.

"Our strikers may be young but they showed great energy and gave Falkirk a very hard afternoon. And Imrie, Andy Barrowman and Barry Wilson came on to give us a fresh attacking threat."