Morton 1 Falkirk 1: Leahy leaves it late

Peter Houston blasted his side’s attitude after the game, but was a relieved man having seen the 90th minute goal seal the Bairns’ first point of the season.

The game had been in doubt just minutes before kick-off with fears over crowd safety procedure with the Cappielow PA sytem malfunctioning.

However matchday organisers were content to go ahead with the game and the Greenock side took fulladvantage with a terrific first 45 minutes from Jim Duffy’s side.

Michael Tidser brought an excellent save out of Deniz Dogan Mehmet on 12 minutes and Leahy made an excellent timed tackle in the box to defy Jai Quitongoto keep the scores down, however the biggoalkeeperturned sinner for Lee Kilday’s opener.

The Turkish youth cap flapped at a corner and dropped the ball at the home defender’s feet and he took no hesitation in ramming it into the net.

Falkirk offered little going forward and to often passes were horribly off-course.

Only Tom Taiwo could take pass marks, and the Bairns rarely troubled Derek Gaston in the Morton net, but that changed in the second half with a display more familiar to the travelling support.

Falkirk were on the front foot constantly but swarming Morton defence kept them out.

Bob McHugh looked to have given the Bairns the lead with a header coming from the striker blocking a Craig Sibbald drive hmeslf but somehow Gaston pawed it off the line.

Myles Hippolyte’s introduction - alongside John Baird - made a big impact to the Bairns’ attacking play with the former Livi man playing through the middle and earning a free-kick of the edge of the area, but Aaron Muirhead blasted into the street. It summed up the Bairns day thus far but they scrambled a leveller - deserved on their second half dominance - when Leahy scrambled home in injury time.

The home side had deserved to take the opening 45 minutes spoils and Falkirk had edged the second half, but the Bairns were again disappointing and their boss cut a stern figure at the conclusion of the draw.