Scott Bain’s performance drives Falkirk to 2-0 Premiership victory over Celtic

Scott Bain produced an outstanding display as Falkirk beat Celtic 2-0 in the Scottish Premiership on 2 November 2026. He kept a clean sheet as Falkirk secured the victory.

The win ended a 19-year wait for Falkirk to beat Celtic, was Falkirk's fourth win on the bounce and moved them into fourth place in the Scottish Premiership. Everyone in Bairns blue delivered, but Bain was singled out for praise after an imperious display that a report said would go down in Falkirk folklore. The result intensified the pressure on Martin O'Neill's side.

Bain made nine saves against Celtic, with a number of them outstanding, as his side kept a clean sheet for the third game in a row. That run equates to 342 minutes without conceding for the Bairns. Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner said: "Scott Bain was unbelievable." "Absolutely unbelievable."

Bain reflected on his own performance after the match, describing his confidence and the match plan. He said: "I felt really confident in the game," "I felt confident in the players and the game plan and I knew that I would be called upon, but it just felt like one of those days where they weren't going to score. "You can't really get a better day as a goalkeeper than thinking that you're not going to be beaten. So, really, really pleased for my own performance, but more so pleased for the team. It's a fantastic step in the right direction."

The Scotland international extended his Falkirk contract in January and is tied to the club until the summer of 2028, with the option of a further year; at the time manager John McGlynn stated that "he's been outstanding from the moment he walked into the club". After the Celtic game McGlynn added: "Scott Bain had two really outstanding saves [in the first half] and there might have been another very good save, but there weren't as many as there were in the second half where he had to continuously produce," and: "So a huge thank you to Scott for the actual game he's had today."

Bain took a step out of his comfort zone as back-up at Celtic and accepted a sizeable drop in salary to pursue regular game time. The report suggested that, beyond his shot-stopping on the day, "there's an argument that Bain... has the type of composure with his feet that may suit Pocognoli's approach." The goalkeeper turns 35 this month and is a four-time capped Scotland international.

With the Scotland squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures announced this week, Bain said: "I think I've performed well since the last camp and I think I've been performing well throughout the season," "So I would hope to be in it [Scotland squad]. I really enjoyed the last camp. I really enjoyed the way the manager worked and seeing what he wants from his team. "I'd be delighted if I can get back in and experience more time with him." This time, the four-time capped goalkeeper may have enhanced his chances of adding to that tally.