Match Report

Sunday, 4th January, 2009

by Ewing Graeme

Falkirk 1 - 1 Kilmarnock: Falkirk left hanging on as under-strength Kilmarnock make their point with style

FALKIRK surrendered a half-time lead here and forfeited the opportunity to register their first home win over yesterday's opponents since 1996.

However, there should be no suggestion that they were unfortunate. They ended up hanging on for grim death and, although this was undoubtedly a point (which they barely deserved) gained, Hamilton's surprising victory over Aberdeen means that John Hughes' side is now second- bottom on goal difference.

It also means that they have won only once in their last 11 outings, which would indicate that this is not the best time for Hughes to be discussing his ambitions of working in the Championship.

Kilmarnock, who started without several key players, including their influential Moroccan playmaker Mehdi Taouil, would probably have settled for a point beforehand but they were desperately disappointed with the draw at the final whistle.

The Bairns belied their recent results with a confident start and they looked the likelier side in the early stages. Indeed, they could have found themselves in front barely 60 seconds into proceedings.

Michael Higdon's deft lay-off provided Scott Arfield with a clear look at Damien Rascle's goal but the midfielder sidefooted just wide.

Too often, though, promising moves broke down on the edge of the penalty area as the final pass or cross went astray.

Higdon was the first to register an effort on target but his volley from Jackie McNamara's cross was safely gathered by Rascle, deputising for the suspended Alan Combe.

Killie became more adventurous and came close themselves in the 28th minute. David Fernandez picked Arnau Riera's pocket as he dallied in possession and the Spaniard wove past McNamara before picking out Willie Gibson's run from the left.

The winger was left with only Robert Olejnik to beat but pulled his shot wide from an acute angle.

Olejnik was soon called into more direct action, though, first saving a Fernandez header from Garry Hay's cross and then smothering Allan Russell's shot from point-blank range.

The opener came with the visitors in the ascendancy, then, but it was claimed by Falkirk. Good fortune also played a part as Arfield's cross was misheaded by a Killie defender and spun in the air. Rascle left his line to gather the loose ball but Steve Lovell beat him to it, getting the slightest touch with the outside of his right boot to send it trundling over the line from 10 yards.

The second half was not as entertaining as the preceding 45 minutes but at least the narrowness of Falkirk's lead sustained the interest of the paying customers.

Of course, the largely unnecessary spate of bookings also helped. Referee Iain Brines is rarely far from controversy and, in a match which was far from over-physical, he managed to show yellow cards to Russell, Gibson, Gavin Skelton and James Fowler of Kilmarnock and Falkirk's Lovell, Tam Scobbie and Neil McCann inside the first hour.

Irritating two sets of supporters, as Brines did here, usually indicates either a) the official was even-handed and made wise, if unpopular, decisions against both sides or b) that it was a poor display by the ref. I'd opt for the latter in this instance.

Still, Kilmarnock kept plugging away and deserved the equaliser which arrived midway through the second half.

Gibson supplied a cross from the right and Fernandez did the damage with a glancing back header which wrong-footed Olejnik.

At that stage Kilmarnock looked likely winners and there were many nervous moments for the home crowd as the ball pinged around their penalty area like a pinball.

Substitute Donovan Simmonds almost won it with a header from Craig Bryson's cross which beat Olejnik but rebounded to safety from the crossbar. There was also a strong penalty claim from the Ayrshire side when McCann appeared to handle a shot from Fowler.

Other close things came and went, all at Falkirk's end, but Kilmarnock could not notch the winner their pressure merited.

At least they displayed vim and vigour: for the home side, the rest of the campaign looks like being a long, hard slog towards survival. Or worse.