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RICE: REF RAGE 'DONE AND DUSTED'
Falkirk assistant manager Brian Rice hopes the club can start making headlines on the park rather than off it this weekend.
Rice has drawn a line under boss John Hughes' feud with Scotland's referees and now wants the club's focus to be on claiming three Clydesdale Bank Premier League points at home to Inverness on Saturday.
Hughes met referees chief Donald McVicar on Wednesday for clear-the-air talks after a stinging attack on him following Tuesday's 3-1 Co-operative Insurance Cup second round win at Raith.
The former defender was furious after McVicar reportedly questioned his criticism of referee Iain Brines after the official's display in Saturday's 3-0 SPL defeat at champions Celtic.
Hughes was threatening an official complaint about Brines, but McVicar was quoted as saying this was "mischief-making" on his part.
The Falkirk boss, who has just served a six-match touchline ban carried over from last season, has cut a frustrated figure but discussions at Hampden appear to have defused the situation.
Hughes kept a low profile yesterday and Rice hopes the matter can now be forgotten.
He said: "It's done and dusted. It was a private meeting on Wednesday, which was very constructive.
"There is a line drawn under it now, so let's move on. We've got a big game on Saturday."
Falkirk, dogged by a number of injuries, have struggled to hit top form so far this term, losing their three league fixtures to Rangers, Hibernian and Celtic.
On paper, it was always going to be a tough start for the Westfield outfit but they registered a morale-boosting success in Kirkcaldy.
Rice feels their luck is turning and said: "It was great to win at Raith and get into the next round, we needed a result to lift the spirits of the boys.
"We think we have been playing reasonably well and have just been unfortunate with a couple of things that have happened, a couple of poor decisions by our defence and midfielders.
"To get the result was great, without playing particularly well, but Raith played really well on the night.
"We saw in midweek how easy it is for clubs [Hibs and Hearts going out] to get caught up in all these games and how difficult it is."
Ahead of welcoming the Highlanders, he added: "The injuries have meant we've thrown some of the lads in a bit earlier than we would have liked, but the same thing happened to Scott Arfield last year and he has kicked on.
"We're hoping two or three of these kids see it as an opportunity."
