ELVIS HITS HEART-TRICK

ELVIS booked his team out of Heartbreak Hotel just moments before they were due to check in for their first setback of the season yesterday. Steven Pressley ran a gamut of wild emotions as the Jambos came from two goals down to snatch a dramatic draw at Westfield.

George Burley's boys failed to set a new SPL record of nine wins in a row at the start of a season as they dropped their first points of the campaign.

But their travelling army greeted this precious point with all the fervour of a cup final victory on a day that had promised them nothing but frustration.

Keeper Craig Gordon was sent off in the first half and Pressley scored a bizarre own goal in 70 minutes as Falkirk looked on the brink of causing one of the biggest upsets of the fledgling season.

But the inspirational Scotland star popped up with a header in 75 minutes to give his side a glimmer of hope before snatching a dramatic equaliser two minutes into the three added on for injury time.

Pressley's never-say-die approach summed up the squad spirit that has characterised the season to date for high-flying Hearts.

But Falkirk will be furious they failed to hold on for the winand the honour of becoming the first club this season to take a point from the Jambos will ring hollow this morning In truth, for the most part Hearts were given a midfield masterclass by Russell Latapy as they threatened to flunk their first test of the season. The Jambos have been reined in closer to the chasing pack andnow sit three points in front of Celtic ahead of their visit to Parkhead on October 15.

They will make the trip to the east end of Glasgow without Gordon, whose first-half dismissal for a foul on Darryl Duffy gave the Bairns the penalty-spot opener their play so richly deserved.

The Scotland keeper's dreams of overtaking Henry Smith for the record of consecutive appearances for the club are surely now over.

Gordon would have celebrated 100onthe trot at Parkhead,but now returns to zero, although that was little more than a statistical sideshow to the dramatic events that would later unfold.

A couple of dozen Hearts fans cheekily waved female thongs above their heads to greet their team as it appeared for kick-off.

A playful reference to Paul Hartley's joke on a radio show that he likes to wear a little pink number during matches.

Quite frankly, Hartley's form this season has been so good he would be forgiven for turning out wearing a basque and suspenders under his Jambos kit should he so please.

But he and his team were overshadowed for large spells by Bairns raver Latapy, who also knows a thing or two about women's underwear after a career in which he has made as many headlines off the park as on it.

He was involved in almost everything his side does well as the Bairns underlined their reputation as one of the best passing teams in the SPL until their late collapse.

Ultimately, their players must accept responsibility for failing to hold on to a two-goal advantage but it must be said they are not helped by a support that is the most torn-faced in the Scottish game.

They howl their anxiety from the main stand at Westfield which hardly helps the team's confidence, particularly when Latapy's 36-year-old legs begin to lose energy late on.

It is a pity because Falkirk play football that isn't only pretty but is laced with menacing intent.

Latapy orchestrates everything and while his little legs could never be considered engine-room pistons, he doesn't half cover the ground.

He was at the centre of a sweeping seven-man move that resulted in Pressley hauling down Darryl Duffy from behind at the edge of the box early on.

Latapy stepped up to curl a right- footed free kick over the wall and, although Falkirk fans celebrated the opener, his effort had actually hit the support post behind the goal and bounced against the back of the net.

Hearts failed to heed the warning and paid the price when a slip in defensive concentration allowed Falkirk to take the lead after 25 minutes.

Latapy split the defence with a pass for Duffy who raced between Pressley and Andy Webster and always looked favourite to reach the ball a yard inside the box ahead of Gordon.

Duffy duly nicked the ball past the keeper, who had already committedtodivingfortheballand duly sent the Scotland under-21 striker flying It was a stonewall penalty and Gordon could have no complaints about the red card that was immediately issued by referee Iain Brines for the last-man challenge.

Hearts boss Burley immediately sacrificed striker Michal Pospisil for reserve keeper Steve Banks, whose first job was picking the ball from the net after Duffy sent him the wrong way from the spot.

The Jambos suffered another setback a few minutes later when Julien Brellier went off with a broken rib and was replaced by Lee Wallace, who moved to left-back to allow Jamie McAllister to bolster the midfield.

It worked after the interval as Hearts began playing with a pace and energy that have been trademarks this season but which were badly lacking in the first half.

Mind you, they were lucky not to fall further behind when Duffy dashed behind Pressley to latch on to a long clearance from Craig Ireland, only for Banks to block his fierce drive.

At the other end Matt Glennon did likewise to thwart Rudi Skacel with Edgaras Jankauskas and Hartley failing to direct subsequent rebounds on target.

But just when it looked as if Hearts' pressure would pay-off they were caught on the hop when Pressley was short with a header to Banks and Duffy darted in.

His initial effort was blocked by Banks but the ball spun off the knee of Pressley and squirmed over the line, despite his best efforts to keep it out.

But the captain made amends five minutes later when he rose unchallenged at the back post to nod a Hartley cross past Glennon.

His redemption was complete in stoppage time when Glennon and Tiago hesitated either side of Skacel and the ball broke for Pressley to slot his side's equaliser.

Mind you, the drama didn't end there as Falkirk sub Pedro Moutinho went close with a rightfoot shot seconds later that scraped the top of the bar MAN OF THE MATCH Russell Latapy (Falkirk

Taken from the Daily Record