Falkirk 0 - 0 Aberdeen: Falkirk come out fighting but Langfield saves the day for Dons

Published on Monday 14 September 2009 23:58

FALKIRK'S reputation for free-flowing football has not been dismantled this season, but they showed last night that they are prepared to employ some uglier tactics as well in their bid to drag themselves from the bottom of the Premier League.

A first point is not unwelcome, and they fought for it – sometimes literally. Robert Olejnik, the Falkirk goalkeeper, was the aggressor, and went for his own team-mate Scott Arfield at the end of the first-half. Olejnik had been enraged by some slack marking at the back, and Arfield was the one he held responsible. There then followed an exchange which could have led to Falkirk lining up for the second half with just ten men. In the end, referee Alan Muir was content to book the pair.

But even with the full complement of players, Falkirk could not find a way past an Aberdeen defence which now deserves to be described as water-tight. Since conceding three against Celtic on the first day of the season, they have posted three consecutive clean sheets in the league.

Dons substitute Peter Pawlett was unfortunate when he saw his shot make Olejnik's bar shake in the closing minutes but Falkirk had perhaps come closest to breaking the deadlock when Jamie Langfield was forced to make a stunning point-blank save from a Kjartan Finnbogason header in the 61st minute.

Falkirk received a boost prior to kick-off when news of the club's success in tying up on-loan midfielder Ryan Flynn was relayed across the Tannoy. The midfielder, who moved from Falkirk to Liverpool, has returned to great fanfare, and yesterday agreed a three-year deal.

Reports of determined efforts to continue the attacking style of football favoured by Falkirk in recent years have handed those fans who, perhaps, only witnessed the home reversal to Hibernian the belief that the corner will be turned. Flynn's signing firmed this up, while the bright start made last night was further evidence of a side heading in the right direction.

Indeed, Arfield's deflected shot almost handed Falkirk a lead in the opening two minutes. The scrambling Langfield was happy to shepherd the ball past the post. He had more work to do after a free-kick from the same player, but his handling let him down. Again, Aberdeen were relieved to see Brian McLean fail to take advantage of the chance to score, following Finnbogason's cut-back. Langfield redeemed himself with a save from Danijel Marceta moments later.

Aberdeen had contributed little to the hectic opening but soon began to establish some kind of foothold on the match. Much of the danger they posed came from a predictable source – Charlie Mulgrew set-pieces. Two of his corners from the right almost led to goals for the visitors. The first saw Andrew Considine denied at the back post by a save from Olejnik, though the keeper had already failed to gather the ball. Mulgrew's next corner saw Lee Miller flick the ball on. Had Carl Finnigan not been positioned on the line to head clear, Aberdeen would have been in front.

The threat from Mulgrew might have proved yet more damaging to Falkirk at the end of the opening half. When another of his crosses had caused panic in the home box, Olejnik raced from his goal-line to confront Arfield. He clearly felt the midfielder had stinted in his marking duties, and gave vent to his fury. Arfield raised his hands to push the goalkeeper away and the so-called team-mates both received yellow cards.

The incident occurred on the cusp of half-time, giving the pair the chance to cool down, and air their grievances with each other in a less-public setting. Thomas Scobbie had clearly identified Olejnik as the guilty party, and continued to have words with the keeper after the referee had stepped in. But Falkirk returned to the field without a change having been made, and seemed united in their bid to take the game to Aberdeen again.

With a blot having been supplied by the warring Arfield and Olejnik, the match was provided with a more positive talking point just after the hour mark. Langfield remains very much an auxiliary player for Scotland, but the goalkeeper posted his credentials with a remarkable stop on his line to deny Finnbogason. The striker had latched onto a cross from Flynn, and the goal appeared inevitable. But Langfield somehow blocked the Icelandic player's header, and was alert to his opponent's disappointment as well as understandable disbelief. He leapt up to embrace the player in a rather more heart-warming exchange than the earlier episode.

Mark McGhee, the Aberdeen manager, committed all of his substitutes within 20 minutes of the re-start, and one of them, Pawlett, aimed to provide the spark for his team. With just eight minutes remaining, he took aim from outside the box and saw his shot beat Olejnik but bash back off the bar. It was still shuddering as Aberdeen looked to retain possession of the ball, but the attack finally came to nothing, as did Aberdeen's later attempts to gain what would, perhaps, have been an undeserved victory.

Falkirk: Olejnik, McNamara, Barr, McLean, Scobbie, Marceta (Lima 76), Arfield, O'Brien, Flynn (Stewart 76), Finnigan, Finnbogason (Lynch 86). Subs not used: Andrews, Twaddle, Mitchell, MacDonald.

Aberdeen: Langfield, Foster, Considine, Ifil, Mulgrew, McDonald, Kerr, Fyvie (Pawlett 63), Paton (Aluko 54), Miller, Mackie (Maguire 63). Subs not used: Nelson, Young, Grassi, Crawford.

May happy to see spirit but agrees team-mates' flare-up was out of place

FALKIRK manager Eddie May watched his side gain their first point of the season last night but saw the eagerness to get off the mark briefly overspill during a flare-up between two team-mates. May interpreted the exchange between goalkeeper Robert Olejnik and midfielder Scott Arfield as evidence that there is a "desire to win" in the Falkirk camp.

Victory was not achieved last night, but Falkirk at least managed to earn a point with a 0-0 draw against Aberdeen. It is a welcome result after three consecutive defeats, and Aberdeen had Jamie Langfield to thank for the point. The goalkeeper was in inspired form, particularly when stopping a header from Kjartan Finnbogason in the second-half.

Falkirk survived an incident at the end of the first-half which could have left them with nine men on the park. Goalkeeper Robert Olejnik blamed midfielder Scott Arfield for handing Aberdeen the chance to score, and raced from his goal-line to remonstrate with him. An exchange ensued, during which hands were raised.

"It showed a desire to win," said May, although the manager agreed it was neither the time nor place to have such a disagreement. "Scott's a nice, quiet guy. If he (Olejnik] wants to pick on someone, I have told him to pick on someone his own size. They've shaken hands now.

"But I don't think there was ever really any need for it," he continued. "I have told him if he wants to be aggressive then make sure it's in the right area, and the against the right opponent – not your own team-mate."

May returned Darren Barr to centre-half for the first time this season, having re-deployed the Scotland player at full-back since taking over during the summer. Barr stepped in after Marc Twaddle had been ruled out due to injury, and helped Falkirk achieve their first clean-sheet in the league this season. May would not be drawn on whether it will prove a long-term return to the position in which Barr gained international recognition.

"We'll decide nearer the time," said May, who revealed Twaddle had been battling with a back injury all season. "It's the type of player he is."

Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee made his own significant changes - though during the game itself. Having set his team out as a 4-3-3 unit, McGhee was driven to alter this formation just after half-time. Not for the first time this season, Aberdeen reverted to a 4-4-2 and looked immediately more comfortable. McGhee took the blame for Aberdeen's slow start. "The system stymied us," he said. "4-3-3 didn't work for us. I feel I am still learning. But I am looking forward to Saturday already."

Aberdeen could be able to call on the services of Sone Aluko for this weekend's game against St Mirren, despite the player's wish to join up with the Nigerian squad prior to the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt later this month. McGhee was not impressed that the winger returned from a training camp last week nursing an Achilles injury, and stressed it was his decision whether the player goes away again or not.

Aluko, who came on as a substitute last night after 55 minutes, should not expect any favours from his manager. "He certainly won't be going this week," said McGhee. "Not after that. It's my decision."