Match ends, Falkirk 1, Queen of the South 1.
FalkirkFalkirk1Queen of SthQueen of the South1
Falkirk missed out on the chance to go above Queen of the South after being held to a draw despite the visitors having a man sent off.
A Rory Loy penalty, after he had been fouled by Mark Durnan gave the Bairns a first-half lead.
Iain Russell equalised with a shot from the edge of the box in the second half.
The Bairns were awarded a second penalty and Queens defender Durnan was sent off for handball but Loy struck the bar on this occasion.
Queens remain fourth, two points clear of Peter Houston's side, but are now three behind Hibernian.
Falkirk were the better side in the first half and almost took an early lead when Blair Alston struck from six yards, his shot blocked by Ian McShane.
When the breakthrough came it did so with a dose of controversy.
Loy had his shirt tugged by Durnan at the edge of the box and referee Crawford Allan ruled the infringement to have been inside the area and pointed to the spot.
The striker fired the spot-kick low into the corner.
The best Queen of the South could muster was a shot from Derek Lyle, which flew over the bar. A free-kick from Lewis Kidd also whistled narrowly over the frame of the goal.
Falkirk almost went two in front when former Queens striker John Baird rolled a shot on target past Queens keeper James Atkinson but Durnan produced a superb goal-line clearance via the post to keep the score at 1-0.
And shortly after that, Queens equalised. Following a corner the ball fell to Russell at the edge of the box and he fired a shot low into the net through a ruck of players.
There was more controversy, again involving Durnan when Loy's shot was blocked on the line by the defender and Loy protested vigorously to the referee that the Queens player had handled.
After a long discussion with his assistant, referee Allan decided it was handball, awarded Falkirk a penalty and sent Durnan off.
However, Loy's second spot-kick hit the bar on its way over and the score remained at one apiece.
McShane went close for Queens, his shot deflected wide of the post.
At the other end Falkirk striker Taylor Morgan had a goal-bound shot stopped by a stunning save from James Atkinson.
Line-ups
Falkirk
Formation 4-4-2
- 1MacDonald
- 2Duffie
- 5McCracken
- 14GrantBooked at 59mins
- 19LeahyBooked at 40mins
- 10Sibbald
- 11KerrBooked at 50mins
- 6VaulksSubstituted forCooperat 70'minutes
- 8Alston
- 33Loy
- 35BairdSubstituted forMorganat 75'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Taiwo
- 9Smith
- 12Bowman
- 15Dick
- 17Maybury
- 20Cooper
- 36Morgan
Queen of Sth
Formation 4-4-2
- 20Atkinson
- 4Dowie
- 5DurnanBooked at 64mins
- 6HigginsBooked at 25mins
- 3Holt
- 17Carmichael
- 18McShane
- 12KiddSubstituted forMillarat 57'minutes
- 11RussellSubstituted forPatonat 58'minutes
- 10Reilly
- 19LyleBooked at 17minsSubstituted forHooperat 67'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Clark
- 8Millar
- 15Paton
- 16Dzierzawski
- 22Hooper
- 24Smith
- 28Pickard
- Referee:
- Crawford Allan
- Attendance:
- 3,478
Match Stats
Home TeamFalkirkAway TeamQueen of Sth
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away2
- Corners
- Home5
- Away9
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away8
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Falkirk 1, Queen of the South 1.
Post update
Attempt missed. Peter Grant (Falkirk) header from very close range misses to the left following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Falkirk. Conceded by Chris Higgins.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Craig Sibbald (Falkirk) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Foul by Alex Cooper (Falkirk).
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Michael Paton (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt blocked. Mark Kerr (Falkirk) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Attempt saved. Kevin Holt (Queen of the South) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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(Falkirk) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Michael Paton (Queen of the South).
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Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Kieran Duffie.
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Attempt saved. Alex Cooper (Falkirk) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner.
Post update
Corner, Queen of the South. Conceded by Kieran Duffie.
Post update
Attempt missed. Ian McShane (Queen of the South) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Michael Paton (Queen of the South) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Foul by Blair Alston (Falkirk).
Post update
Mark Millar (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Taylor Morgan (Falkirk).
Post update
Chris Higgins (Queen of the South) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
