St Mirren 0 Falkirk 0: Frustrating game, valuable point

It was a tough watch for the fans , including some 385 for Falkirk. Offsides were the order of the day as both sides’ defences remained on top.

Afterwards though, the turgid, tough point was ever more valuable given Hibs’ 1-0 defeat in Dumfries.

The draw moves Falkirk to just one point off second place, and with the chance to move into position at the weekend by avoiding defeat against Alloa.

At the Paisley 2021 Stadium, the Bairns had the better of the first half possession and play, but Saints had the better chances.

Danny Rogers saw two shots flash by his goal, and had to be alert to punch another -- a poor defensive header from Paul Watson. It exorcised the demons on this ground in the last visit when he spilled a cross and conceded.

That game though was a 3-2 thriller, this was anything but.

Lawrence Shankland and Jordan Stewart both blasted efforts narrowly wide in the first half when the best Falkirk could manage was an Aaron Muirhead drive into the stand and a John Baird run ninto the box when he was ushered wide by his namesake Jack.

Saints had the ball in the net immediately after half-time but David Clarkson was offside.

The Bairns went close themselves through Blair Alston but again the ball slipped just wide of the net. Luke Leahy then made an incredible save on the line to scoop the ball off the line and maintain Danny Rogers’ clean sheet.

Craig Sibbald got a shot on target – the best opportunity of the match and closest to a goal – when his effort cracked off the bar. Aaron Muirhead had launched a long throw into the box and Sibbald met Lee Miller’s nod back on the edge of the box and was a matter of inches from breaking the deadlock.

Peter Houston pitched Myles Hippolyte and Bob McHugh in nto rev things up and Falkirk did have more of the pressure in the latter stages of ther second half but couldn’t, make it tell.

Aaron Muirhead had to header out off the line and deny sub Steven Thompsdon an open goal with five minutes to go.