Match Report

ISt Mirren hit back to draw 1-1 with Falkirk but it was difficult at the final whistle to decide which team was happier with the result.

Neither team managed to add to the opening wins of the season they secured last weekend and, even though Falkirk earned a valuable away point despite being outplayed for long spells, they remain at the foot of the table.

Saints have yet to win at Love Street in the SPL this term and had enough chances to have changed that but at least they have one more point than the Bairns.

Perhaps the main losers in all this were the fans with little quality to enjoy despite perfect playing conditions.

St Mirren made all the early running, using the height and power of strikers Jim Hamilton and Billy Mehmet to take the fight to Falkirk. Hamilton hooked a spectacular effort narrowly wide after seven minutes and then tested keeper Robert Olejnik with a header from Franco Miranda's free-kick.

The visitors finally began to settle and Graham Barrett nodded Tom Scobbie's cross over the bar at the near post.

St Mirren were still the dominant side, however, and after defender Will Haining failed to make clean contact from close range, Mehmet volleyed fractionally wide.

Falkirk finished the first half strongly with top scorer Michael Higdon almost deceiving keeper Mark Howard with a left-foot chip from an unlikely angle. Midfielder Scott Arfield also sent a glancing header wide for Falkirk.

The Bairns built on their momentum at the start of the second period as Neil McCann crossed for Barrett to completely wrong-foot Howard with a clever angled header which made it 1-0.

But Falkirk were allowed no time to sit on their lead with Kevin McBride handling the ball under intense pressure at a corner kick before Mehmet rammed home the penalty for his sixth goal of the season.

Hamilton remained a major threat to the visitors defence, twice going close with left-foot and right-foot drives and also having another penalty claim turned down.

As in the first half Falkirk finished the better and home goalkeeper Howard was fortunate not to be punished for a series of schoolboy error as the nerves seemed to get to him.

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides