Falkirk 2-1 Motherwell: Falkirk find what the fans want

Published on Saturday 2 May 2009 19:43

Falkirk 2 Finnigan 9; Scobbie 55 Motherwell 1 Clarkson pen 70

IF SHEER desire were enough to save Falkirk from the drop, they would already have the champagne on ice. Yesterday the bottom side displayed a will to win that was the difference between John Hughes' men and their visitors, but they didn't make it easy for themselves or for their long-suffering fans. Despite having all the best chances they finished with 10 men, hanging on for a win that looked as if it might slip from their grasp. Instead the three points bring them to within striking distance of survival.

They now travel to Kilmarnock knowing that a win will take them off the bottom for the first time in months. "We've got the impetus with us now and the other sides are going to be looking over their shoulders," said midfielder Scott Arfield, who promised a rugged approach at Rugby Park. "We tried to play football last time when we should have gone for a battle. We won't make that mistake again."

Battle was exactly what they did in this frenetic encounter. Although there were lengthy periods when Motherwell's greater technical skills, neat interpassing and slick distribution threatened to unpick the Bairns' defences, Falkirk's sheer drive and urgency paid dividends.

The first breach came after just nine minutes when Arfield, riding his luck and several tackles, cut in from the right. Just as he looked as if he was going to lose the ball, he flicked it inside to Neil McCann. The veteran turned with the speed and grace of a supertanker but drew defenders like moths to a flame so when his scuffed shot-cum-cross went across the face of the goal it found Carl Finnigan in front of an open net. The Falkirk man made no mistake.

Falkirk were good value for their 1-0 half-time lead. Mark Stewart was a busy presence up front, twice going close after latching on to speculative long balls. Finnigan's half-blocked effort also span just wide, while Tam Scobbie came closest to extending Falkirk's lead seconds before half-time when his header from a McCann free-kick came agonisingly close to the far post.

Although Motherwell had little to play for, they hadn't come to lie down and for long periods they threatened to ruin Falkirk's afternoon. The home side were particularly susceptible to crosses and Motherwell nearly drew level through a David Clarkson header that Jackie McNamara almost directed into his own net, only Dani Mallo's sharp reactions keeping Falkirk's goal intact.

Falkirk started the second half with purpose and once again it paid off. McCann was again the provider, winning a corner and then curling the ball in to the near post for Scobbie to rise unchallenged and power the ball into the top right-hand corner.

Yet despite the fillip of reaching the Scottish Cup final, Falkirk are still struggling to make winning a habit. Nowhere was that better illustrated than with Arfield's gilt-edged chance to put the result beyond doubt. With only the keeper to beat, he tried to slip the ball to his left, but his touch let him down and it ran beyond the onrushing Stewart.

It didn't take long for the Bairns to rue that squandered chance. Within minutes Motherwell were back in the game when Clarkson skipped between two players in the Falkirk box only for one of them, Gerard Aafjes, to swing a leg at him. Clarkson seemed to stay on his feet but referee Willie Collum saw it differently and not only awarded a penalty but sent off the Falkirk defender to howls of derision. Clarkson slammed the penalty home to make it 2-1.

Just to prove to the incensed Falkirk fans that he really didn't know what he was doing, the man in the middle then managed to bring the crowd to boiling point by failing to show Maros Klimpi even a yellow card for a crude stiff-arm on Burton O'Brien.

With the crowd getting restless and Steven Pressley on to marshall the rearguard, Motherwell besieged the Falkirk goal. Substitute Jamie Murphy and Stephen Hughes had shots well saved by Mallo, but it was by no means all one-way traffic, with Stewart put clean through on goal only to shoot high and wide. That profligacy will be forgotten after this win brought them nearer to survival, but against opponents with more to lose, it could prove terminal.