text: Clearly baffled and obviously just the tiniest bit irked, Alan Stubbs simply didn’t know what to make of Peter Houston. Or, more accurately, the Falkirk manager’s sudden escalation of post-match comments into an all-out conflict. Back-track or snap right back at him? Stress the good intentions and best wishes he feels towards Falkirk, or defend his team against the insinuation that they’re a bunch of weak-willed tippy-tap merchants who can’t defend crosses? In the space of 10 minutes on Monday, the Hibs boss did placatory – ‘I have a lot of respect for Peter and what he’s done’ – and followed it with accusatory, as in ‘I think you need to ask Peter what he said when he came into my office after we got beat 1-0 in the first game; it certainly was not what he said in the press (on Saturday).’ Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs did not know what to make of Peter Houston's recent post-match comments . However you choose to interpret everything Stubbs said both on Saturday *and* after reading Houston’s sharp response, a lot of people will be watching their next meeting – Falkirk host Hibs on the last day of the Championship season, inevitably enough – for signs of enmity. ‘It’s funny the way football works,’ said the Hibs manager, looking ahead to that crucial fixture on Saturday week. ‘People will make something of it and what has happened. But, for someone who is so inexperienced, I am not soft. ‘My comments are never made to disrespect people. I honestly thought, with our performance, that we played well enough to be in the final. I don’t see anything that is wrong with that. ‘Everyone in the press conference room after felt we played well but listen, the facts of the matter are that we’re not in the final. What happened as well, everyone in that press conference witnessed me saying good luck to Falkirk, I didn’t see that come out. ‘I wished Falkirk all the best and good luck in the final but Peter’s made his comments. He’s a really experienced manager, one that I respect and I’ll take his comments on board about how he scores against us. I’m obviously learning, this is my first season but I’m not doing too bad. ‘A lack of respect? Not at all, it was my honest opinion that I felt we had done enough in the game to get into the final. I don’t think anyone would deny that or say I was talking gibberish. ‘Our goals-for is the third best in the table, our goals-against is the second best in the table. We have a goal difference that is 27 better than Falkirk’s. When you put that up against a real experienced manager and me being a novice, then I’m doing okay.’ Stubbs and Falkirk manager Peter Houston shake hands before the match at Hampden Park . You see? Amid the attempts to play down any ill will, Stubbs can’t help himself. Houston’s jibe about his Falkirk team scoring all of their goals against Hibs from crosses clearly struck a nerve. Does he have a point? ‘I need to be careful what I say here,’ said Stubbs, who takes his team to Livingston for yet another crucial Championship game tomorrow night. ‘I think we all concede goals from crosses. I think if Peter looks at his own team here, they have conceded a lot of goals from crosses as well. ‘Whether it is crosses or open play, that’s football. You score goals in different ways. We have scored more than most this season and I won’t change. But I will take his comments on board. ‘It is up to Peter if he wants to state that. I did not say anything about Peter’s team. It’s up to Peter. ‘Our relationship in general has been very good. I don’t see why it should change. We are emotional. You say things after games in the heat of the moment, more so now with the Press and TV, when you have a microphone stuck under you straightaway. The Falkirk players celebrate taking the lead against Hibernian in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park . ‘I won’t change. I still have a lot of respect for Peter and what he has done. He has done a really good job at Falkirk, so no complaints. I don’t think I have said anything different to what most manager say every weekend.’ Despite scoring 60 league goals in 33 games, there have been a number of days when Hibs have felt profligate. Forever wanting to walk the ball in, as their critics would put it, rather than simply having a dig. Insisting he has no concerns despite Saturday’s loss, Stubbs said: ‘When you play like that, more often than not you are going to win games of football. You don’t rely on a bit of luck because you are performing well. ‘I will take the team playing like that every day of the week because I know they will win games of football. On Saturday it just was not to be, that’s cup football. Sometimes it goes in your favour, sometimes it doesn’t. Saturday was one of those times when it didn’t go in our favour. ‘On Saturday, I felt momentum building. Scott Allan was top drawer for a period in the second half. He nearly won it by himself. That is why we are disappointed, players like that, you’d like to see them in showcase finals, to show their talents. But it was not to be. They will have another opportunity.’
target: Alan Stubbs felt Hibernian did enough to reach Scottish Cup final .
  Falkirk manager Peter Houston hit back at Stubbs' post-match comments .
  Houston's side take on Inverness Caledonian Thistle on May 30 .