Falkirk.............1 Queen of the South ...........0
DAvid Hagan steered Falkirk to their second Challenge Cup trophy in five seasons and then revealed: ''Our defeat in last season's Scottish Cup final provided the impetus for this. None of us wanted to experience again that losing feeling. It was such an anti-climax.
''But a lot of the credit for this is down to our manager Alex Totten, for he knows how to hype us up. In fact, he sends us out feeling like Hercules.''
However, this was another winning afternoon for the Challenge Cup tournament itself - for yet again it provided an exciting platform for the minnows in football.
Last season it was Stranraer who came through to lift the trophy - and before that it was Stenhousemuir who had their day of glory.
And it was so nearly yet another giant-killing act, for second division Queen of the South dictated the play for much of the 90 minutes - but then lost out to a real smash-and-grab act.
It was an early start for the Doonhamers and their fans who had rushed to snap up all 5200 of the tickets they were allocated in the weeks up to the final.
They crammed into buses and cars and were there early at Fir Park, Motherwell, parked in the streets around the stadium with their flasks and sandwiches muching away from three hours before the kick-off, making a real day out of the occasion.
And how they must have thought they would be carrying away the trophy at the end of the afternoon as Queens carved huge holes in the Falkirk defence in the early stages.
With 37-year-old Tommy Bryce playing the game of his life, they had the first division side on the rack during that first 45 minutes.
Bryce and Marc Cleeland came close to pulling off the cheekiest move in Scottish football this season - or maybe any other season.
With just ll minutes gone Queens forced a corner on the left and Cleeland ran out to barely touch the ball.
As the Falkirk defenders looked on in bewilderment, Cleeland then left the ball and ran towards the penalty area.
At the same time, Bryce ran out to collect the barely moving ball and, unchallenged, ran into the goal area, where his shot was blocked.
After that Queens came so close to getting that elusive opener as they were urged on by over 5,000 of their appreciative fans in the 9,735 crowd.
A Steve Mallan through ball set up Ken Eadie, but the veteran shot wide in 21minutes.
Then a Derek Townsley effort was blocked by by Falkirk keeper Paul Mathers.
However, Falkirk had their chances, too, and they came so very close just eight minutes from the interval.
Incredibly, a Paul McGillen shot struck teammate David Moss and then hit a post. And from the rebound keeper David Mathieson turned a Moss header over.
Still the danger was not over, and from the corner David Kennedy cleared Moss's header on the line.
Then came the moment that swung the tie and the trophy the way of Falkirk.
The ever-dangerous Kevin McAllister, who had not really imposed himself, fastened onto a loose ball on the right before heading towards the bye-line.
As he got inside the Queens' penalty area his fast low cross to the far post was met by David Hagan who first-timed it past keeper David Mathieson for a 65th-minute winner.
Admitted Hagan: ''I had a shocker of a game, but I kept making the runs and it paid off. Any goal which wins a final has got to be a great goal.
''The last time Falkirk won this trophy they went on to win the league. And I believe we can do that again.
''I don't know what it is about us in cup competitions, but we seem to get the results. Perhaps it is because we all work together and we have the type of players who battle for everything.''
Even after what proved to be the winner for the Brockville side, Queens - and Bryce - came so close to keeping alive the hopes of their singing support.
However, just seven minutes from time they saw their hopes finally disappear with the miss of the match.
Man-of-the-match Bryce again left the Falkirk defence lost as he cut the ball back for the incoming Townsley, who lay on the ground dejected after his shot trundled wide.
But that defeat did not dampen the spirits of the Queens players or their fans, and their manager, Rowan Alexander, revealed: ''We are going to party tonight.''
Continued Alexander: ''We are going back to our hotel - but I am not telling anyone the name. All the players, their wives and girlfriends will be there.
''And I am also bringing in all the lads in our youth teams and the girls in our ladies team.
We'll all enjoy ourselves, for we really did ourselves and the town proud.
''And all those fans did us proud with the way they rallied round and cheered us on.''
