Blackburn and Falkirk share a point

Oct 27 2011 by Kieran Westbrook, West Lothian Courier

A PENALTY apiece was enough to earn a share of the spoils for Blackburn and Falkirk on Saturday.

The home side imposed themselves early on, with Davie Sneddon setting Danny Campbell off on a run that ended with a 20-yard effort well saved.

Alan Brown then picked out Andy McQuillan, who turned and shot, forcing a decent save from Falkirk goalkeeper Ronnie MacPherson.

McPherson was called into action for a third time when he beat away Greig Crooks’ deflected effort.

Before the half-hour mark, United came close to breaking the deadlock when Campbell whipped a ball across the six-yard box for Sean Callaghan at the back post but the midfielder’s effort on the stretch hit the upright.

In reply, Falkirk’s Ross Sneddon thumped in an effort from distance that Ross Hendrie saved comfortably.

McQuillan was then sent tumbling inside the Falkirk box to win a penalty and, after missing from 12 yards last week, the Blackburn man showed character to step up again and fire the ball past McPherson.

But the lead didn’t last for long as referee Matthew Denne was forced to hand Falkirk a penalty of their own.

Sneddon had got his timing all wrong in trying to win the ball from Mark Pagliarulo and Falkirk forward fired home from the spot to level the match.

Three minutes from the end, the visitors almost snatched all three points when Craig Watson dispossessed Craig Spence on the edge of the area but he blasted his shot over.