Falkirk manager John McGlynn heaped praise on Barney Stewart after the striker’s hat-trick inspired his side to an emphatic 4-1 victory over Hibernian.
Stewart showed his poacher’s instinct by converting three taps-in before substitute Louie Marsh added a fourth late on.
Rocky Bushiri had made it 2-1 for Hibs in the second half, but the visitors never looked like taking anything from the game after being outplayed and outfought.
McGlynn was delighted with his team’s display and thrilled for Stewart, who scored eight goals on loan at Dunfermline during the first half of the season, as the 21-year-old continued his remarkable rise in professional football.
Asked about Stewart’s display, McGlynn said: “Wow. From where he was 13 months ago. We keep on going on about it, but it’s true. It’s very difficult going and watching him play for Heriot-Watt University and thinking, ‘Can he do it?’ Because that’s the question that you’re asking yourself.
“But there’s not really much to lose on it. I mean, he’ll probably be the lowest-paid player in the Premiership right now.
“We took him from Heriot-Watt University and he scored a couple of goals for us in the Championship.
“He gets that injury, a metatarsal, which means he’s not played for a long time. It was ideal for him to go to Dunfermline and he’s come back and his personality is amazing.
“You couldn’t be happier for him and for everyone involved.”
The victory moved Falkirk to within two points of fifth-placed Hibs and McGlynn, who has taken the Bairns from League One to the top flight, doubts his team have played better.
McGlynn added: “Is that one of our best performances? Against the calibre team we’re playing against, absolutely.
“We’ve had a lot of good performances. We beat St Mirren and Aberdeen, we went toe-to-toe with Celtic and did particularly well.
“We went to Tynecastle last week (against Hearts in the Scottish Cup) and put up a great performance and win on penalties.
“But to go back-to-back wins against the two teams in Edinburgh, who have been doing great, yeah, over the moon.
“For the level that they’re playing at, the performances that they’re putting on, they were top drawer.”
Hibs head coach David Gray was disappointed by the lack of reaction from his players after watching his team bow out of the Scottish Cup to Dunfermline last weekend.
He said: “I think we got exactly what we deserved out of the game today.
“I don’t want to come across as saying we were so poor and take it away from Falkirk because I thought they fully deserved it.
“They were better in every single phase of the game – first ball, second ball, competed more on the ball, played the conditions better.
“I talked about looking for a reaction, I certainly see it in training and feel it in training, but that doesn’t count for anything, it’s when you step over that white line.
“I’ve just been strong in the dressing room saying the same things because I’ve been at the club long enough and the expectation and demands of playing for this club.”
