The closed-doors match at the University of Stirling was John Hughes' first chance to see his side in competitive action.
But the boss would have been left smarting over an injury to Arnau Riera.

The Spaniard, who – although not yet confirmed by the club - has reportedly re-signed on a one-year loan deal from Sunderland, hobbled off the park and was later seen on crutches.

It is not yet known what the extent of the injury is.
His replacement, Graham Barrett, could have settled the evenly matched encounter in the second half, though.

The striker burst into the box and forced Pools' trialist goalkeeper, Derek Soutar, to parry his effort.

But when Barrett attempted to latch onto the rebound he was pulled back by Michael Nelson.

Soutar, though, did his chances of a contract at Victoria Park no harm at all when he dived to his right and blocked the Irishman's spot kick.

The Coca-Cola Football League One outfit had created the bulk of the chances in a fairly subdued opening 45 minutes, Joel Porter shooting wide and David Foley's effort deflected past the post.

Falkirk keeper Robert Olejnik was hardly tested though, while his side's best chance saw new signing Neil McCann head over the bar.

Ritchie Humphreys then tried to place a shot past Olejnik but sent the ball wide of the upright and, in the closing stages, Danny Wilson's men were denied a penalty of their own when the ball appeared to strike a hand in the box.

Antony Sweeney forced a good save in the closing minutes and Sam Collins' long range drive whistled past the post as Hartlepool finished the stronger side.

But it was a good exercise, and probably a fair result, for Falkirk who next take on Ross County this Tuesday evening at Westfield.

Falkirk: Olejnik, McNamara, Barr, Bullen (Staunton), Aafjes (McCaffrey), Riera (Barrett), McBride (Mitchell), Arfield (Robertson), Cregg (Moffat), McCann, Higdon (John Stewart)

Hartlepool: Soutar, Sweeney (Collins), Nelson, Clark, Humphreys, Liddle (Power), Boland (Jones), Monkhouse (Robson), Foley (McCunnie), Barker (Brown), Porter (Mackay)