Source: Team_Talk
Unlucky Bairns ousted by Killie
Substitute Gavin Skelton's powerful strike cannoned off the bar and bounced back in off the Italian in the 82nd minute to hand Killie a fifth-round home tie against Inverness.[LNB]Falkirk had the best first-half chances but Jack Compton blazed over and Cammy Bell saved superbly from Pedro Pele.[LNB]Pascali's goal came amid a largely uneventful second half but Falkirk pushed forward in the closing stages and Bell made a brilliant stoppage-time stop from Vitor Lima.[LNB]Calderwood added a physical edge to his side after his debut ended with a 3-0 home defeat by Motherwell on Saturday with Allan Russell and Conor Sammon coming into a three-man strikeforce and Pascali adding steel to the midfield.[LNB]Falkirk were forced into four changes following the 1-1 draw at Celtic with Darren Barr and Carl Finnigan both suspended and Enoch Showunmi and Colin Healy ineligible. Jackie McNamara, Pedro Moutinho, Lee Bullen and Compton came in.[LNB]McNamara cut inside the box and shot just over after three minutes but Kilmarnock soon put Falkirk under pressure in the air and Sammon saw a shot in a crowded box deflect wide.[LNB]Compton, making his first start since his move from Weston-super-Mare, had a powerful long-range shot saved as Falkirk enjoyed some decent possession.[LNB]Kilmarnock skipper Kevin Kyle failed to get enough power on his attempted lob after brushing aside Brian McLean following a hopeful long ball.[LNB]But the unmarked Compton missed a superb chance when the hosts were cut apart in the 25th minute. Ryan Flynn rolled the ball perfectly into his path following a Moutinho lay-off but the winger shot well over with only the goalkeeper to beat.[LNB]Falkirk again came close in the 34th minute only to be foiled by a brilliant reflex save from Bell. Compton's corner was cleared only as far as Pele 12 yards out and his volley took a deflection off Frazer Wright's attempted block before Bell acrobatically tipped the ball over.[LNB]James Fowler shot just over from 25 yards after an enterprising run from Kilmarnock left-back Garry Hay and Pascali headed Sammon's cross straight at Robert Olejnik, but Killie had another let-off in the 42nd minute.[LNB]Arfield glanced Compton's corner across the six-yard box but Moutinho fluffed his finish.[LNB]The second half started in frantic fashion and Bullen failed to get a decent contact on a deep Compton cross before Kyle headed just wide via a deflection as he attacked Jamie Hamill's cross.[LNB]However, there was little goalmouth action for the next half-hour.[LNB]Mehdi Taouil replaced Kyle before Killie were forced into a change at the back when Wright limped off shortly after throwing himself in front of Bullen's 20-yard strike. Skelton came on with Pascali moving into central defence, while Compton made way for Burton O'Brien for Falkirk.[LNB]The game seemed destined to end goalless but McLean's error led to the crucial corner after McNamara made a crucial interception from Sammon.[LNB]Hay's delivery eventually fell for Skelton 12 yards out and he rattled the ball off the crossbar before it bounced off Pascali and over the line.[LNB]Bell pushed wide O'Brien's 30-yard free-kick as Falkirk surged forward and then he brilliantly pushed over Vitor Lima's powerful 18-yard effort in the dying seconds to preserve the home team's slender lead.[LNB][LNB][LNB]
