Falkirk beat Hearts 5-2 at Tynecastle to move up to third in Scottish Premiership
Falkirk beat Hearts 5-2 at Tynecastle in Edinburgh on 8 November 2026, racing into a 4-0 half-time lead in a Scottish Premiership match. The victory was Falkirk's fifth successive win and moved John McGlynn's side up to third place in the table.
In the space of a week Falkirk had also beaten defending champions Celtic and became the first team to defeat Hearts at Tynecastle in 19 months, scoring seven goals across the two fixtures. A month earlier, an added-time goal conceded to Dundee had left Falkirk 11th and only a point off the bottom of the table. The 64-year-old McGlynn received widespread praise last season for guiding Falkirk to sixth on their return to the top flight after overseeing consecutive promotions.
Reflecting on the run, McGlynn told BBC Scotland: "It's striking a balance without getting carried away and not playing it down too much," and added, "Winning five games in a row, you've obviously got something about you. We want it to continue because we're enjoying this." He also warned of the season's length, saying: "But we're only 13 games in. There's a long way to go, so we've got to keep our feet on the ground and enjoy seeing our team third in the league."
Jacob Murrell was central to the Tynecastle win, scoring twice to take his season total to seven and earning the SPFL player of the month award for October; the article notes he is 22. Finley Barbrook and Owen Eames also scored, while Liam Henderson netted what the report described as a "sublime" fourth goal; Henderson, Brad Spencer and Ethan Ross are among those who have been with the club since its League One days.
Falkirk underwent significant turnover in the close season, bringing in 17 new players and adding several signings weeks after the campaign began; Murrell, Barbrook and Eames are named as arrivals who contributed against Hearts. Departures included Calvin Miller to Hearts, Dylan Tait (now skipper at Dundee United) and Barney Stewart, who was sold to West Bromwich Albion for a club record fee. Loan players Filip Lissah, Ben Broggio, Henry Cartwright, Kyrell Wilson, Ethan Williams and Louie Marsh left the club, while unused substitutes Finn Yeats and Ross MacIver and injured Leon McCann were noted as having been part of McGlynn's journey at the club.
Centre-half Henderson described the squad dynamic: "We've got a good team spirit, a togetherness, and a will to work hard for your team-mates," and added, "We now have a ruthlessness up front as well. The manager is massive to us. His knowledge, his detail. He is so detailed in everything he does." Former Hearts midfielder Michael Stewart praised Falkirk's recruitment, saying: "They look at what kind of player fits into the team and when the player arrives, they know what they're getting."
Former Hibs midfielder Scott Allan singled out captain Brad Spencer as influential, saying: "You need a guy like him in there to really set the standards," and adding, "When he is in the team, there is a real control from Falkirk, especially in the middle. They've added a steeliness to the team too, it's not always total football this year. They are able to do the dirty side of the game now and roll up the sleeves when they have to." Michael Stewart also commented on McGlynn's profile: "He is a manager who is totally comfortable in his own skin now," and later said, "The perception of him continues to get better and better. I don't want to be disrespectful to Falkirk, but I would not be surprised, if, when one or two of the bigger jobs start coming up, rather than being an outsider, I think he will be right in the hunt for some of those."
John McGlynn has taken maximum points from two games against his former club Hearts this season, and the victory at Tynecastle underlined Falkirk's momentum. As the article states, "As things stand, almost any move away from Falkirk would be a step down the league."
