BBC Sport - Football - Falkirk 0-0 St Johnstone (original) (raw)

Highlights - Falkirk 0-0 St Johnstone

Falkirk slipped two points adrift at the foot of the Scottish Premier League after a stalemate with St Johnstone.

Tam Scobbie and Pedro Moutinho came close for Falkirk as the home side had the better of the first half.

St Johnstone substitute Josh Falkingham claimed unsuccessfully for a penalty after the break.

The Bairns need to beat Kilmarnock in Saturday's final round of fixtures to avoid relegation and send the Ayrshire side down to the First Division.

Jody Morris sent an early shot wide for the visitors before Falkirk began to assert themselves.

Moutinho blasted over from close range after Enoch Showunmi had headed on a corner.

The Portuguese forward then exchanged passes with Scott Arfield and set the midfielder up for a shot but the effort was saved comfortably by keeper Graeme Smith.

Former Leeds United youth player Falkingham was introduced to the fray in place of the injured Murray Davidson in between bookings for St Johnstone duo Kenny Deuchar and Morris.

Falkirk kept pressing and Moutinho's corner found the head of Scobbie, who headed just wide of the post.

Another corner, this time by Healy, caught Saints cold and Smith had to block a strike by Moutinho, who also flashed a free-kick wide before the half-time whistle.

Results appeared to be going Falkirk's way at the interval as Killie trailed to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

St Johnstone were more of an attacking force at the start of the second half and Danny Grainger's free-kick was nodded over by Deuchar.

Paul Sheerin, who replaced Cillian Sheridan at the break, was next to threaten for the Perth side but blazed wide from a promising position.

The hosts went back on the attack and Showunmi's deflected shot was headed inches wide by Ryan Flynn.

Falkingham went down in the Falkirk box under the challenge of keeper Robert Olejnik and claimed for a spot-kick, but referee Craig Thomson was unmoved.

Poor control let Flynn down as he went in on goal as the Bairns mounted a late charge for victory.

And, in a frantic finale, Arfield was denied by an unlikely save by Smith, who tipped the midfielder's shot inches wide.

Killie's comeback to beat the Dons gave Jimmy Calderwood's side a two-point advantage over Steven Pressley's men ahead of Saturday's showdown at Rugby Park.

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Wednesday, 5 May 2010

Scottish Premier

FALKIRK

ST JOHNSTONE

Possession

• Falkirk 52%
• St Johnstone 48%

Attempts on target

• Falkirk 5
• St Johnstone 1

Attempts off target

• Falkirk 5
• St Johnstone 3

Corners

• Falkirk 6
• St Johnstone 3

Fouls

• Falkirk 14

• St Johnstone 17

• Final Result

• Full Time

• 90:00+2:20 The referee ends the match.

• 89:56 Corner taken right-footed by Pedro Moutinho from the right by-line, clearance made by Daniel Grainger.

• 89:20 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Pedro Moutinho from the left by-line, save by Graeme Smith.

• 89:04 Corner taken by Pedro Moutinho from the left by-line to the near post, clearance made by Michael Duberry.

• 88:40 Scott Arfield takes a shot. Save made by Graeme Smith.

• 85:12 The official flags Enoch Showunmi offside. Free kick taken by Michael Duberry.

• 84:52 Shot by Colin Healy. Graeme Smith makes a save.

• 83:04 Marc Twaddle fouled by Chris Millar, the ref awards a free kick. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Pedro Moutinho from left wing, clearance by Paul Sheerin.

• 82:42 Daniel Grainger challenges Brian McLean unfairly and gives away a free kick. Darren Barr restarts play with the free kick.

• 81:51 Chris Millar fouled by Enoch Showunmi, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Michael Duberry.

• 80:04 Colin Healy is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Graeme Smith.

• 79:09 Foul by Colin Healy on Josh Falkingham, free kick awarded. Michael Duberry takes the direct free kick.

• 75:29 Pedro Moutinho takes a corner.

• 73:07 Thomas Scobbie takes the free kick.

• 73:07 Substitution (St Johnstone) makes a substitution, with Steven Milne coming on for Collin Samuel.

• 73:07 Marc Twaddle fouled by Josh Falkingham, the ref awards a free kick.

• 71:28 Foul by Colin Healy on Chris Millar, free kick awarded. Daniel Grainger produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick, Darren Barr gets a block in.

• 70:30 Foul by Enoch Showunmi on Graeme Smith, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Graeme Smith.

• 67:57 Ryan Flynn has a headed effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the target.

• 61:43 Enoch Showunmi concedes a free kick for a foul on Steven Anderson. Graeme Smith restarts play with the free kick.

• 60:40 Scott Arfield challenges David MacKay unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Michael Duberry.

• 59:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Colin Healy on Daniel Grainger. Daniel Grainger takes the direct free kick.

• 56:04 Effort from the edge of the area by Paul Sheerin goes wide of the right-hand post.

• 52:59 Inswinging corner taken by Daniel Grainger from the right by-line, comfortable save by Robert Olejnik.

• 51:56 Enoch Showunmi challenges Steven Anderson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Daniel Grainger.

• 50:55 Unfair challenge on Jody Morris by Colin Healy results in a free kick. The ball is crossed by Daniel Grainger, Header from deep inside the penalty area by Kenny Deuchar goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

• 49:00 Paul Sheerin concedes a free kick for a foul on Scott Arfield. Direct free kick taken by Scott Arfield.

• 45:01 The referee gets the second half underway.

• 45:01 Substitution Paul Sheerin replaces Cillian Sheridan.

• Half Time

• 45:00+1:10 It is the end of the first-half.

• 45:00+0:24 Daniel Grainger decides to take a short corner.

• 43:29 Darren Barr gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kenny Deuchar. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Daniel Grainger from left channel, Robert Olejnik fouled by Kenny Deuchar, the ref awards a free kick. Robert Olejnik takes the direct free kick.

• 42:16 Strike comes in from Pedro Moutinho from the free kick, blocked by Kenny Deuchar.

• 42:16 Booking The referee shows Steven Anderson a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

• 42:07 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Enoch Showunmi by Steven Anderson.

• 39:37 Foul by Collin Samuel on Pedro Moutinho, free kick awarded. Strike comes in from Pedro Moutinho from the free kick.

• 38:23 Scott Arfield challenges Collin Samuel unfairly and gives away a free kick. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Daniel Grainger, save made by Robert Olejnik.

• 37:52 Pedro Moutinho takes a shot. Graeme Smith makes a save.

• 37:21 Corner taken short by Colin Healy.

• 37:02 Chris Millar concedes a free kick for a foul on Burton O'Brien. Free kick taken by Scott Arfield.

• 35:45 Josh Falkingham challenges Colin Healy unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Pedro Moutinho.

• 33:32 Inswinging corner taken by Daniel Grainger from the right by-line played to the near post.

• 32:59 The referee penalises Enoch Showunmi for handball. Michael Duberry takes the indirect free kick.

• 31:22 Corner taken right-footed by Pedro Moutinho, Thomas Scobbie has a headed effort at goal from close range which goes wide left of the target.

• 30:39 Free kick crossed by Pedro Moutinho, blocked by Michael Duberry.

• 30:39 Booking Booking for Jody Morris.

• 30:31 Jody Morris gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Marc Twaddle.

• 28:38 Foul by Pedro Moutinho on Collin Samuel, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Graeme Smith.

• 27:04 Substitution Murray Davidson goes off and Josh Falkingham comes on.

• 26:27 Ryan Flynn takes a shot from just inside the penalty box which clears the crossbar.

• 25:59 Booking Kenny Deuchar is shown a yellow card.

• 21:32 Kenny Deuchar challenges Thomas Scobbie unfairly and gives away a free kick. Robert Olejnik takes the free kick.

• 17:38 The referee blows for offside against Enoch Showunmi. Free kick taken by Graeme Smith.

• 16:02 Shot by Colin Healy from 25 yards. Save by Graeme Smith.

• 15:31 Chris Millar challenges Pedro Moutinho unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Thomas Scobbie.

• 13:22 Unfair challenge on Cillian Sheridan by Burton O'Brien results in a free kick. Free kick crossed left-footed by Daniel Grainger, save by Robert Olejnik.

• 12:16 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Brian McLean by Collin Samuel. Pedro Moutinho delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing, Steven Anderson makes a clearance.

• 10:09 Unfair challenge on Brian McLean by Kenny Deuchar results in a free kick. Robert Olejnik takes the direct free kick.

• 9:31 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Michael Duberry by Enoch Showunmi. Michael Duberry takes the direct free kick.

• 7:29 Murray Davidson challenges Colin Healy unfairly and gives away a free kick. Thomas Scobbie takes the free kick.

• 6:47 Pedro Moutinho takes a shot from inside the six-yard box clearing the crossbar.

• 5:05 Unfair challenge on Darren Barr by Cillian Sheridan results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Darren Barr.

• 4:36 Shot from just outside the box by Jody Morris misses to the right of the target.

• 1:11 Unfair challenge on Pedro Moutinho by Jody Morris results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Burton O'Brien.

• 0:00 The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.

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