Dundee United drew for the second week in a row but this display against Falkirk was much more encouraging than the one against Dumbarton.
They couldn’t manage a goal against the Bairns but this point was still a lot more welcome than the one rescued against the Sons seven days earlier.
The Tangerines were booed off the park at Tannadice last weekend but this time at the Falkirk Stadium they put on a much improved performance, albeit without a cutting edge.
United had made three changes to the side that managed that disappointing 1-1 scoreline at home to Dumbarton.
Out of the side went Stewart Murdoch, William Edjenguele and the injured Scott Fraser. Striker Patrick N’Koyi was left out because of a hamstring injury and was also granted compassionate leave following a family bereavement.
That meant starting slots for Lewis Toshney, Mark Durnan and Billy King.
The Tangerines lined up 4-4-2, with Scott McDonald and Paul McMullan the front pairing.
The Bairns had the first decent attack on four minutes, with former Dundee man Rory Loy heading a Tony Gallacher cross over the bar. McDonald then fired wide for United just seconds later.
Some of the visiting players seemed to be struggling with the artificial surface in the early stages, losing their footing while in possession.
King drove the ball across the face of goal on nine minutes after being played in by McMullan but there were no takers.
United were forced into a substitution on 10 minutes, with injured defender Paul Quinn replaced by Edjenguele.
The Tannadice men were settling into the game now and, on 16 minutes, Durnan headed a McMullan corner just over.
A deep cross to the back post by Jordie Briels was met by the head of Jamie Robson as the visitors continued to boss the game.
Falkirk had a chance on the half-hour when Joe McKee’s corner from the left flew right across the face of the away goal.
Just seconds later, the United fans were on their feet when Fraser Fyvie caught the ball on the volley with his left foot at the edge of the box but the shot flew just inches wide.
On 38 minutes, the Bairns came within a whisker of taking the lead when Gallacher swung over a cross from the left and Craig Sibbald met the ball full on with his forehead. United keeper Harry Lewis touched it over the bar but a corner wasn’t given.
United finished the first half with a flourish and should have had their noses in front a minute before the break when a King cross found McDonald in front of goal but the Australian’s diving went over the bar.
Just after the restart, McMullan should have done better than sky his shot when found at the back post by a cross from Robson.
Toshney picked up the first booking of the game on 48 minutes, just before Sibbald missed a decent chance for Falkirk.
Up at the other end, Robson floated a header over for United as the match swung one way then the other.
On 62 minutes, the visitors brought on sub James Keatings for King before McMullan, Edjenguele and Briels collected yellow cards in quick succession for United, with Fyvie adding to the total in stoppage time.
There was panic from the Bairns on 68 minutes when Conrad Balatoni hooked the ball back at his keeper Robbie Thomson, who had to boot the ball away before it crossed his goalline.
It was even closer on 82 minutes when McMullan’s cross from the right evaded everyone, including Thomson, and crashed off the face of the Falkirk bar.
The Tangerines, roared on by their 900-plus support, put on a late, late show of pressure but could not find a way to goal.
Falkirk were there for the taking and it was frustrating that United didn’t get the win they craved but at least there were good signs in this display and it is difficult to label a draw at Falkirk as a bad result.
Attendance: 4,864.
Falkirk: Thomson, McGhee, Muirhead, McKee (Craigen 76), Kerr, Sibbald, Harris, Balatoni, Gallacher, Blues (Miller 69), Loy. Subs not used: Mitchell, Grant, Austin, Gasparatto, O’Hara.
Dundee United: Lewis, Durnan, Quinn (Edjenguele 10), Toshney, McMullan, McDonald, King (Keatings 62), Stanton, Robson, Briels, Fyvie. Subs not used: Deniz, Murdoch, Flood, Allardice, Thomas.
Referee: John Beaton.
