Source: Team_Talk
Hughes celebrates club history
The Bairns, who lost 3-0 to Rangers in this year's Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final, booked a place in the last four of the Homecoming Scottish Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday.
A first-half penalty from Carl Finnigan was enough to edge the Bairns past 10-man Caley, who had Lionel Djebi-Zadi sent off for conceding the spot-kick.
Hughes was thrilled after seeing his side, who currently sit bottom of the SPL, dig out another impressive cup victory.
He said: "I'm pleased for the boys as it is the first time the club has been in two semi-finals in one season so, once again in the six years that I have been here, we've put something into the history books.
"If we can get one or two wins in the league then it could turn into a right good season for us."
The Falkirk manager praised his keeper, Dani Mallo, for a string of fine saves in the dying stages that prevented Caley grabbing a last-gasp equaliser.
"His save to deny Richie Foran in the last minute was the type of save that foreign keepers make," Hughes said. "He spread his legs and arms as wide as he could and pulled off a great save.
"He has been different class for us and he works ever so hard in training. I keep telling the boys that, if they keep working hard, they will get the rub of the green.
"His save at the end certainly kept us in the cup."
Inverness manager Terry Butcher admitted his side gave themselves a mountain to climb after being reduced to 10 men and conceding the first-half penalty.
"We didn't start the game particularly well and Falkirk got into their stride more than us," he said. "But, having said that, there were no real opportunities for either side up until the penalty incident.
"That was obviously the turning point of the game because we then had to sacrifice Eric Odhiambo to bring on another defender."
Despite their numerical disadvantage, the Highlanders dominated the second period but spurned a number of good chances in the closing stages.
Butcher believed tiredness may have played a factor in Foran's failure to
capitalise on his last-minute chance.
"The boys gave everything and we just needed that one chance to come our way," he added. "We got that with Richie Foran in the last minute.
"Richie played on Wednesday and the full game today and perhaps, if the ball had fallen to a fresher player like Adam Rooney, it may have gone in. But the keeper did make a great save."
