BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
JOHN BAIRD reckons Craig Sibbald deserves more credit for his “bravery” following a sparkling run of form for Falkirk.
The diminutive playmaker has been integral in the Bairns’ sequence of five wins in six Championship matches, most recently netting the opener in Saturday’s 2-1 derby day victory over Dunfermline.
And Baird believes Sibbald illustrated his bottle when he slotted beyond the onrushing Sean Murdoch, despite the fact it would result in a hefty collision.
“People don’t realise how brave he is,” lauded Baird. “People just look at his skill and all that but he’s actually got more to his game than his ability.
“It shows with his headers, his tackling and his running back – and, last Saturday, his run forward.
“As an example, he was very brave with his goal because he got smashed from their keeper. You don’t really see that much from younger players in the game now but Sibbs has that in abundance.”
While his courage may be undervalued, Sibbald’s undoubted technical ability continues to shine through.
And Baird has echoed the youngster’s previous claim that the pair enjoy a telepathic understanding in attack.
“That’s just something that’s happened in training,“ lauded Baird. I just need to look at him or he looks at me, so you’re not shouting or pointing, and we know where to go.
“In the Ayr game we should have had a penalty in extra-time. I just looked at him and he dinked it over and the boy’s crashed through the back of me and I thought Sibbs was brilliant in the middle of the park again on Saturday.”
