Falkirk 0 Morton 0: Cold, wet and miserable

Ruben Sammut shoots over. Picture Michael Gillen

An independent panel couldn't separate the sides at Hampden last month in the complaint over Ray McKinnon's defection to the Bairns, and it was just like that on the pitch as neither side emerged on top in this chilling stalemate.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Falkirk v Morton Live Blog

It was tough to watch for long spells and though Falkirk improved in the second half, a defensive performance and another week without a home league victory has done little to appease the Bairns support.

It was hard to watch for fans and those in the dugouts

Often, even in the most difficult of times, the Bairns pull a positive result out of the bag the week before an AGM. Not so this week, though this was not a defeat at least.

The first half was played out in awful conditions. Driving icy rain, sleet, a few hailstones and a biting cold. Conditions useless for paint drying, but that's what the first half of innate tedium felt like.

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A Morton corner, a couple of skied shots from Ruben Sammut and Prince Buaben and two defensively minded teams contributed to the dull scoreless stalemate.

Falkirk lined up in a flat 5-3-2 while Morton were not much more adventurous in their 4-4-1-1 and it showed with a drab opening 45 minutes.

The second period though burst into life with Demi Petravicius thumping Falkirk's first effort on goal and Derek Gaston padding it out for a corner.

The Bairns went even closer when Paul Paton headed unchallenged but sent the ball just a foot wide from Tommy Robson's cross.

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That chance came moments after a lengthy stoppage for treatment to Morton defender, and Falkirk local, Gregor Buchanan who went down in the Bairns box after David Mitchell claimed a corner. The centre-back, who scored his first goal for the Greenock side last week, limped round the pitch after being attended to by physios both on and off the pitch.

Bob McHugh in Morton's attack scored the winner the last time the sides met at Cappielow and his history at this ground meant Falkirk could not relax and settle for a point at any time - even long after the 90th minute.