PARS 1
Falkirk 1

THE PARS put their penalty demons to one side to draw with rivals Falkirk in a hotly contested Boxing Day fight.

A Rhys McCabe penalty cancelled out Miles Hippolyte’s first half opener to share the spoils at a freezing East End Park.

Allan Johnston made four changes to the side that drew 2-2 with Queen of the South last weekend, as he welcomed back captain Andy Geggan into his starting line-up at right-back, with Lewis Martin moving centrally in place of Callum Fordyce. Kallum Higginbotham missed out through suspension and Nat Wedderburn dropped out for Joe Cardle and John Herron respectively.

Despite a succession of corners and a clearance from header off the line for the hosts, it would be the visitors who got themselves ahead.

A John Baird pass down the left wing sent Tony Gallacher to the byline and his perfect cut back found an unmarked Miles HIPPOLYTE to fire home into an empty net on 10 minutes to the delight of the away attendees.

The crossbar was all that denied Nicky Clark heading Athletic level on 21 minutes, as his flick crashed downward into the path of Michael Moffat who couldn’t steer home the rebound.

Paul McMullan was then livid referee Euan Anderson failed to point to the spot after he was hauled down by goalscorer Hippolyte a minute later. The ball would once again fall to Moffat, but his snatched drive failed to hit the target.

Joe Cardle was left shaking his head on 37 minutes as he contrived to test Danny Rogers with the goal at his mercy. Brilliant link-up play by Moffat and McMullan on the counter led to Clark finding a free Cardle in the box, who was denied by a recovering Falkirk body.

It was then déjà vu a minute later as Pars laid siege on the Falkirk goal on the break once again. And, once more, a route to goal wasn’t found as Falkirk defended in numbers before the half ended.

The second half opening was cautious to begin with very few chances, but the Bairns eleven were soon livid as Anderson awarded the Pars a penalty.

Hearts would have been in fans’ mouths as Rhys McCabe stepped up to the spot. Given the hosts’ track record with penalties this season.

MCCABE soon done the unthinkable by stepping up and slotting home confidently on 58 minutes after Tom Taiwo appeared to handle just on the edge of the area.

Cardle then went looking to put Dunfermline ahead with a speculative volley from a McMullan cross. His effort was wide of Rogers’ post however.

After netting the penalty McCabe was perhaps fortunate not to concede one himself for a foul in the area. The Pars broke quickly and Clark was inches away from firing home, but his effort just flashed past the far post on 75 minutes.

The game petered out with neither team able to snatch a winner in the closing stages.

PARS: Murdoch, Geggan, Martin, Ashcroft, Talbot, McMullan, Herron, McCabe, Cardle (Paton), Clark (El Alagui), Moffat (Reilly)
Subs not used: Hutton, Williamson, Fordyce, Wedderburn
Goal: McCabe (58’)
Booked: Geggan

Falkirk: Rogers, Muirhead, Grant, Gasparotto, Gallacher, Hippolyte (McHugh), Taiwo (Rankin), Kerr, Sibbald, Shepherd (Miller), Baird 
Subs not used: Mehmet (GK), Kidd, Leahy, Watson
Goal: Hippolyte (10)
Booked: Grant, Taiwo, Sibbald, Muirhead

Referee: Euan Anderson
Attendance: 6134