Falkirk defender Luke Leahy insists the Bairns have not been overawed all season – so there is no chance of them fearing Kilmarnock in the crucial play-off final.
Peter Houston’s side set up a promotion decider against the Rugby Park outfit after seeing off Hibs 5-4 on aggregate.
Falkirk defied the odds in the Championship this season by gate-crashing the so-called two-horse race at the summit with a second place finish ahead of their Leith counterparts.
Highlights included two victories over eventual champions Rangers, while Falkirk also ended the league campaign with the fewest defeats of any team – four.
Even though Kilmarnock are the side trying to preserve their top-flight status, Leahy, who scored a stunning equaliser in Friday’s 3-2 second leg win over Hibs, insists the Bairns will not be intimidated in the final, starting in Thursday’s first leg at the Falkirk stadium.
He said: “We’ll go again on Thursday and prepare. We’ve got nothing to fear, we’ve been brilliant all season and we’ve just gone and beaten Hibs over two legs. We’ve nothing to fear from Kilmarnock.
“We’ve had an unbelievable season. We’ll keep going, we’ll rest up and do the usual and come Thursday we’ll be raring to go.
“The character in that dressing room from the management to the players is second to none.”
Leahy brought Falkirk level on Friday eleven minutes from time after a James Keatings brace cancelled out Blair Alston’s early strike for the Bairns.
Bob McHugh clinched victory for Houston’s men with literally the last kick of the game.
Leahy added: “I was just delighted, it was a weird game because we started off really well.
“The first 25, 30 minutes, I thought that was the best we’ve played. Every pass we were playing was coming off, everything was coming off.
“But then they got their two goals.
“It shows the character in there from the boys, we’re never defeated – even if it’s the 94th minute or whatever.
“As soon as I hit it I knew it was going in the net. From then on I think we looked like the only team that would score.
“My goal against Livingston was probably better than that, but Friday’s occasion tops it – I’m delighted. There’s no better feeling than that.”
