Airdrie 1 Falkirk 1 : Honours even despite pressure

David McMillan's strike was cancelled out by a Dale Carrick penalty in the first half and though the Bairns kept much of the action at the opposite end from Robbie Mutch, they couldn't do enough to find a way to defeat Airdrie in three attempts.

Referee David Dickinson took much of the away fans' ire for several denied penalty claims but the point keeps the Bairns in the chasing pack behind Raith Rovers and now into third above East Fife.

They still trail Airdrie in second by a point and in a breathless game packed with enough incident to make up for the snooze-fest on the last visit to the Penny Cars Stadium, the points came at a cost with Louis Longridge, Ross MacLean and Lewis Toshney lost to injury.

Early on Falkirk made the chances - at both ends of the park with attacking intent and panicked defending at times.

The Bairns had David Hutton unxder pressure early on and the Diamonds' goalkeeper resorted to punching much of what came to him. One early fisted clearance was returned on the half-volley by Mark Durnan, restored to the side after suspension, and then pawed away by the Airdrie number one under pressure from Declan McManus.

The goalkeeper was nowhere near a David McMillan lob after a great touch from the Irishman stunned a driven pass from Longridge but the attempt at goal was just wide of the mark.

But he got the goal he deserved after a spell of Falkirk pressure - and a couple of let-offs for the Bairns.

Just five minutes after McMillan's chance the Bairtns were fortunate to rtain 11 men on the field and not give away a penalty when David Dickinson got his card out for Toshney's clumsy challenge on the edge of the box against Calum Gallagher. Given the recent officiating for Falkirk the Bairns seemed fortunate not to lose another player to suspension, and had just a free-kick to defend and for the wall to bravely charge down twice.

Toshney was again fortunate when Paul McKay's header struck his arm just after the half-hour and ref Dickinson let play continue -- but made up for his error later with a harsh call on Gregor Buchanan's block.

But from the relief the Bairns pressed forward and McMillan had a header clawed off the line and Gregor Buchanan was sure his rebound had crossed the line, though Declan McManus and a ruck of Airdrie players on the line couldn't conclusively put the ball beyond the post.

But then McMillan did with a great sweeping finish to a Dixon corner and the Bairns were deservedly ahead, albeit with a bit of fortune too.

That turned on them seven minutes later when Dickinson made up for his earlier miss and penalised Buchanan on the edge of the area making a block with outstretched arms. Dale Carrick sent Robbie Mutch the wrong way from the spot for a half-time score of 1-1, though Airdrie could have had another two but were unable to exploit some poor defending from Durnan and Mutch, who later redeemed himself with a vital save.

Toshney was again at the centre of attention after the break, although he lasted less than ten minutes before pulling up with a hamstring injury, requiring the stretcher to wheel him around the Penny Cars Stadium Park.

Just four minutes prior he had headed a Kurtis Roberts drive off the line after Callum Smith knocked the ball away from Mutch's grasp.

From the point of Toshney's injury, which required a Bairns re-shuffle and the introduction of Ross MacLean, the Bairns were adventurous and on the front foot but they just couldn't turn the possession and attacking intent into a winner.

They were almost picked off too as Robbie Mutch's crossbar was rattled with a shot from distance in Airdrie's only foray upfield during the second half.

MacLean was later replaced by Conor Sammon and within the game's lengthy injury time, Declan McManus headed a great chance across goal.

The draw meant the Bairns would not be able to go top of League One, but it was academic anyway as Raith Rovers ran out 5-3 winners at East Fife.