BBC SPORT | Football | Scottish Premier (original) (raw)

Smith celebrates putting the Steelmen in front at Fir Park

Motherwell and Falkirk shared the points in a pulsating afternoon's entertainment at Fir Park.

Darren Smith set Well on their way after 19 minutes, and the Steelmen were looking comfortable when Scott McDonald made it two in the 37th.

Thomas Scobbie pulled a goal back for the visitors, and Stephen Craigan's own goal plus Patrick Cregg's 55th minute effort put the Bairns in front.

David Clarkson fired home an equaliser for Motherwell in the 58th minute.

Motherwell manager Maurice Malpas made two changes to the side who lost to Inverness Caledonian Thistle for their Bank of Scotland Premier League game against Falkirk.

Paul Keegan and Darren Smith were both drafted into the starting line-up, meaning Kevin McBride and David Clarkson had to settle for a place on the bench.

Brian Kerr remained in the first team despite this week reaching a pre-contract agreement with Hibernian for next season.

Falkirk made three changes following their defeat to SPL strugglers St Mirren on Monday night.

In came Scobbie, Liam Craig and John Stewart; out went the suspended Karl Dodd, Stephen O'Donnell and Vitor Lima.

Well suffered a setback in the opening minutes when Danny Murphy limped off the pitch and was replaced by Paul Quinn after seven minutes.

The Bairns started brightly when Carl Finnigan's close range header was saved by home goalkeeper Graeme Smith.

However, Motherwell, having survived that scare, went in front.

A great ball from Jim Paterson found Scott McDonald, and his cut-back was met by Smith at the back post, who sidefooted home from six yards.

The Steelmen's confidence surged, and their positive play almost ended in a second when Paterson tried his luck with a shot only to see the effort blocked on the six-yard line by Kenny Milne.

Falkirk then had a chance to retrieve the situation when Russell Latapy released Finnigan into the box but his shot was weak.

John Hughes' side were made to pay when Well doubled their advantage.

Quinn was the provider and Celtic-bound McDonald did well to round the exposed goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel before coolly slotting home.

However, within four fantastic second-half minutes for Falkirk, Motherwell saw their two-goal advantage crumble.

Gow set up Scobbie for the shot and he drilled under the body of the Motherwell keeper.

Two minutes later, the Bairns were back on level terms.

A long ball from Jack Ross was intercepted by Craigan, but he made a mess of the pass-back and succeeded only in nodding into the back of his own net.

The Bairns incredibly surged into the lead with 55 minutes gone when Cregg pounced on a Latapy free-kick and rifled home from 12 yards.

But Motherwell refused to become downhearted and grabbed an equaliser, before Falkirk could take a grip.

Clarkson replaced Keegan and, within seconds of his arrival, he had the ball in the back of the net, bulleting home a McDonald ball.

Falkirk could even have snatched a late winner when Finnigan found himself unmarked and in plenty of space but he sent his angled drive just over.

At the other end, only a last-gasp header off the line from Ross denied McDonald the chance to grab victory for Motherwell.

In the end, both clubs settled for a point apiece.

Motherwell: Graeme Smith, Corrigan, Craigan, Reynolds, Danny Murphy (Quinn 8), Darren Smith, Kerr, Vadocz, Paterson, McDonald, Keegan (Clarkson 57). Subs Not Used: Meldrum, McCormack, McGarry, McBride, Fitzpatrick.

Goals: Darren Smith 18, McDonald 37, Clarkson 58.

Falkirk: Schmeichel, Ross, Barr, Scobbie, Milne, Cregg (Mcstay 69), Latapy, Craig (O'Donnell 86), Gow, Finnigan, John Stewart. Subs Not Used: Lambers, Uras, Moutinho, Lima, Mitchell.

Goals: Scobbie 48, Craigan 49 og, Cregg 55.

Att: 3,640

Ref: W Collum

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites