Football: Barr's on the mark for home comforts; Falkirk 1 Dunfermline 0.

MATCH-WINNER Darren Barr admitted Falkirk's 1-0 win over Dunfermline in their first home game of the season was a huge weight off their shoulders.

John Hughes' men took until April to taste their first league triumph on their own patch last term - a 1-0 success against Dundee United - and the longer the campaign went on, the more elusive that victory became.

However, after Barr had headed in Russell Latapy's curling corner after only 10 minutes, it was clear Falkirk would not have to wait as long this year to record that first victory.

Barr said: "It was very important to get that first home win and it felt brilliant to get the goal. It took until April last year to get it but all the boys just dug in and ground out the result.

"It was hard last season but I think we did quite well in some games but were just unlucky at times. You need a wee bit of luck in games, don't you?

"We just need to keep plugging away, passing the ball and keeping everyone fit and hopefully winning games."

Latapy, man-of-thematch in the previous weekend's 2-1 win over Dundee United, was again central to Falkirk's dominance of an opening spell in which they should have built a bigger lead.

The 38-year-old decided against retiring during the summer and Barr, who has been with Falkirk since the age of 15, is delighted the former Hibs and Rangers midfielder is playing on.

He added: "That's just Russell, when he gets on the ball he can do things that other people can't do. His passing is good and gets everybody else on the ball. He's just great for the team."

For all Falkirk's dominance, however, Dunfermline still passed up some glorious chances to earn a point and it was last season's top scorer, Mark Burchill, who was guilty of the worst miss as he blazed over from Stephen Simmons' pass.

Manager Jim Leishman, without the injured Jim McIntyre and Noel Whelan, admitted the Pars are sorely missing options up front.

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DARREN Barr celebrates