Match Report

Thursday, 11th December, 2008

by Mark Henderson

Frozen out

IT was one of only three SPL games that survived the overnight freeze, but how Falkirk must have wished it could have succumbed to the cold conditions as well.

Disappointment and frustration was etched across the faces of players, staff and fans alike, as St Mirren left Westfield with all three points.

And it was all the more disheartening considering the possibilities prior to kick-off.

A win, combined with the cancelled fixtures, would have seen the Bairns propelled up the table.

The Paisley side, meanwhile, were labouring at the foot of the table, after a five-match losing run marked by an inability to find the net.

Indeed, their last visit to The Falkirk Stadium saw them on the end of a 4-0 drubbing.

So Falkirk's prospects seemed as bright as the crisp mid-afternoon sunshine.

However, a poor display from the off and what initially appeared to be a contentious red card for the influential Jackie McNamara, contrived to leave them with little festive cheer. And it was left to Falkirk assistant boss Brian Rice to convey the post-match gloom.

"We are all disappointed," he said.

"There was only one change in the team from last week, but there was certainly a big change in the way we played and how we approached the game.

"We didn't start well for the first 35 minutes and let ourselves down badly with the way we performed."

"We could have jumped a few places with games being off elsewhere. Once again we got the chance to do that but didn't take it."

"Anyone at the game against Hibs last week would say we played really well, but when we are not doing that we have to grind out draws and scrappy victories."

"However, I am not taking anything away from St Mirren – they were the better team."

From the kick-off It was the away side that looked the more threatening, particularly through Andy Dorman's late runs from midfield.

As early as the eighth minute he found space in the box, but his near post flashed wide.

A Jim Hamilton knockdown then found Dorman in the same position 20 minutes later and his effort aimed for the far post was cleared by Lee Bullen.

The only change to the Bairns' line-up seven days previously was stopper Robert Olejnik replacing Scott Flinders. And the Austrian was soon called into action, when he superbly blocked two near post efforts from Stephen McGinn.

At the other end the Bairns were finding it hard to create any clear-cut openings and were restricted to speculative long range-shots, with Kevin McBride the main outlet. One rasping strike from the 27-year-old skimmed the top crossbar while another deflected on to the junction of post and bar.

But the away side's pressure finally paid dividends and former Bairns skipper Jack Ross was the architect.

He drove into the box and fired a shot across goal that Olejnik could only parry to the feet of Hamilton who swept the ball home.

Burton O'Brien almost found an equaliser with a clever lob, which Mark Howard tipped over, but then came the moment which made the task a greater struggle.

Following a poor tackle on Hamilton on the far touchline, McNamara was sent to the stand by referee Dougie Macdonald. Even after the game it was an incident clouded in doubt.

"I asked the referee and he said it was a poor tackle and had no option other than to send him off," said Rice.

"I haven't seen it, as I was quite far away from it but Jackie didn't think it was a straight red card.

"The referee was the closet official, though, and thought it was." Scott Arfield and Graham Barrett were thrown on as the home side went to three up front – and for broke.

It soon paid off when, in innocuous circumstances, the 10 men pulled level.

A free-kick from O'Brien was floated into the box and fumbled by Howard. The ball fell favourably for Steve Lovell, who swivelled and squeezed a shot in at the near post.

With a man less, however, there were always going to be gaps for the Buddies to exploit and the ever-dangerous Dorman drove into the box and cut the ball back for Dennis Wyness to score his first goal in 14 months.

Still, the Bairns battled on and, as the clock ticked down, were unfortunate not to grab a point.

From an O'Brien corner, Michael Higdon, Darren Barr and Lovell all had shots cleared off the line in an incredible goalmouth scramble.