Falkirk 2 Hearts 2

Two second-half goals by captain Steven Pressley kept 10-man Hearts' unbeaten Bank of Scotland Premier League run intact in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Falkirk.

In the first half the league leaders had goalkeeper Craig Gordon sent off for a 'last man' tackle on Falkirk striker Darryl Duffy, who took and scored the spot-kick against Hearts' substitute goalkeeper Steven Banks.

An unfortunate own goal in the 68th minute by Pressley doubled the home side's lead before the skipper of the 10-man Jambos reduced the deficit at the other end.

And a minute into injury-time the Scotland defender slammed home the equaliser from close range.

The Edinburgh side are now three points ahead of chasing Celtic but will be without their first choice goalkeeper for the match against the Parkhead side in a fortnight.

The home side who had the first effort on goal in the fourth minute when midfielder Vitor Lima found a yard of space and unleashed a 25-yard drive which went inches past Craig Gordon's left hand post.

There were a few feisty tackles early on as the game refused to settle down and it became clear that the Bairns, with Alan Gow impressing, were not going to allow the visitors all their own way.

There was a moment of confusion in the 14th minute, after Jambos stopper Andy Webster had fouled Duffy at the edge of the Hearts penalty area.

Bairns playmaker Russell Latapy curled a tremendous free-kick which cleared the bar by inches but momentarily fooled the home fans into thinking they had taken the lead when the ball hit the back stanchion and slid down the back of the net.

Moments later Latapy, growing in confidence, tried his luck with a dipping 25-yard drive which Gordon saved at his right hand post.

At the other end Robbie Neilson hesitated when he was set up at the back post by Jankauskas' fine cross, allowing Bairns defender Craig Ireland to recover and block the defender's advances.

However, there was high drama in the 27th minute when the visitors found themselves a goal behind and also down to 10 men.

After Latapy sent Duffy racing through on goal with an inspired defence-splitting pass, Gordon raced out from his goal line to send the former Rangers player sprawling and was immediately red carded by Iain Brines for the challenge.

Jambos' substitute goalkeeper Banks replaced striker Michal Pospisil to make his debut and his first task was to face Duffy's penalty but when the dust had settled, the former Gillingham number one was sent the wrong way from the spot.

The home side were in control now as Hearts tried to compose themselves and Latapy tested Banks with a left-footed drive from the edge of the box which the Englishman did well to smother.

Falkirk were taking advantage of their extra man, forcing Hearts back towards their own goal and it appeared clear that the Tynecastle side would have to summon up something special to rescue anything from this game.

Banks remained on the pitch during the interval to be put through his paces by goalkeeping coach Malcolm Webster and when the game restarted the visitors looked determined to quickly get back on level terms.

Latapy showed some good skills again down the left to remind the Gorgie side that the Bairns were still a threat - and in the 50th minute Falkirk could have doubled their lead.

Duffy was through on goal again after an Ireland headed clearance carried past the Hearts defence but Banks parried the Scotland Under-21's left-footed drive from 16 yards before skipper Steven Pressley mopped up.

In the 56th minute, however, the Tynecastle side should have equalised when a Neilson cross from the right found midfielder Rudi Skacel alone at the back post.

The Czech midfielder looked certain to drive past Matt Glennon from just eight yards out but the Bairns goalkeeper pulled off a fine reaction save before Jankauskas and Paul Hartley failed to finish off as the Falkirk rearguard defended desperately, the ball eventually drifting behind for a goal-kick.

In the 68th minute the home side extended their lead with a bizarre goal after Gow sent Duffy clear on the left.

The Falkirk striker's shot from just inside the Hearts penalty area was well saved by Banks but the ball bounced off the covering Pressley before rolling agonisingly over the line.

It was a crushing blow for the visitors but just four minutes later they dramatically pulled a goal back when Skacel's inswinging free-kick to the back post was prodded into the net at the back post by Pressley.

The Edinburgh side threw everything forward in search of an equaliser an and in the dying second Skacel's close-range header was saved by Glennon - only for Pressley to slam the ball in.

Taken from sportinglife.com