BOTH teams came into this top six encounter unbeaten in four games and rightfully confident. Unfortunately, at times you would never have known it as almost predictably there was nothing to separate the teams on an afternoon when neither ever go
t out of second gear.
Falkirk had won their last four outings and if either team deserved to reap all three points it was John Hughes' men as it was they who were the more positive throughout. Aberdeen, who have been winning ugly of late, were again very disappointing and it speaks volumes about their performance that they will have been happy to take a point against ten men.
Both teams may have been in fine fettle in terms of form, but neither had their injury problems to seek. Scott Thomson and in-form Pedro Moutinho missed out for the Bairns, whilst Aberdeen continued to be without first team members Jackie McNamara, Andrew Considine, Darren Mackie and Michael Hart.
One man who has benefited from the lengthy Pittodrie injury list is Lee Mair, who for the first time has enjoyed a prolonged run in the team. He very nearly had his team in front inside five minutes when only a good stop from stand-in Falkirk keeper Robert Olenjik kept out his well controlled snapshot. However the big keeper nearly turned villain soon after when he spilled a harmless Derek Young effort then got into an almighty tangle with Tam Scobbie as the pair attempted to clear the danger.
Falkirk, however, always create chances, and it wasn't long before they were exerting some pressure on the visitors' defence. The powerhouse frame of Michael Higdon rolled Zander Diamond only to fire into the side-netting, Arnau Riera rifled inches wide from the edge of the area and full back Jack Ross produced a save from Jamie Langfield.
It was Aberdeen who ended the half on the front foot. Scott Severin slid through a congested area to scrape his skidding effort off the far post and Barry Nicholson came just as close with a dipping free kick Olenjik didn't look like he was getting to.
It was a major disappointment that despite the quality within the two side, there was a lack of belief to keep the ball down and play. There was no lack of forward thinking from either team, just a real lack of thrust leading to a growing reliance of hitting Higdon or his counterpart Lee Miller with high balls in a bid to feed of the scraps.
The chances of Falkirk playing pretty passing football looked to have all but evaporated eight minutes after the restart when young playmaker Scott Arfield was sent off. Having been booked in the first half the midfielder was penalised for a late challenge, which although never malicious was at best ill-advised and clumsy.
Falkirk fans howled in derision at the decision, and whilst neither of Arfield's offences would have merited a card a decade or so ago, in today's considerably more touchy-feely environment, both were cautions. Aberdeen trio Mair, Clark and Miller swiftly followed into the official's book for scything challenges.
Despite being a man down it was Falkirk who began pressing, with the Dons defence struggling to deal with the physicality of the Falkirk strike force. Langfield clutched a header from Carl Finnigan when the former Newcastle man really ought to have done better and then watched as a series of strikes whizzed around his goal.
Both teams had chances late on to break the deadlock, but as was the story of the day neither could take them. Higdon somehow failed to convert when sent clean through and Aberdeen saw sub Jeffrey De Visscher have his header hooked off the line by Russell Latapy. The final chance fell to Chris Clark, who shot wide of a gaping goal, meaning that the points were shared.
The full article contains 655 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
