Falkirk 2-2 Hearts

The visitors had goalkeeper Craig Gordon sent off on 24 minutes when he felled Darrly Duffy, who converted from the resulting penalty kick.

Pressley was then unlucky when the ball rebounded off his knee and a rolled into his own net after 68 minutes.

Pressley immediately prodded a goal in at the right end and later tapped home from close range in the last minute.

Hearts remain top of the SPL table, with a three point lead over Celtic, but their eight game winning streak is over.

And Hearts will now be without Scotland international Gordon for the league visit to Celtic.

Both sides were knocking the ball around confidently in a cagey opening period and, while there was much to admire about the crisp passing, neither goalmouth was threatened.

Falkirk playmaker Russell Latapy fired a 20-yard free kick just over the top and his opposite number 10, Paul Hartley, also went close with a deflected set-piece.

Gordon eventually saw some action after 18 minutes but he dealt with Latapy's swerving shot from distance comfortably.

The game suddenly burst into life when Duffy raced on to a Latapy pass and was upended by the outstretched hands of a diving Gordon.

The 'keeper was shown a red card and Duffy slotted the spot-kick past substitute Steve Banks, with striker Michal Pospisil being withdrawn by Hearts. Latapy was enjoying a lot of possession and Banks had to look smart to smother the veteran midfielder's low shot.

There was a further blow for the SPL leaders when Julian Brellier went off with a rib injury ten minutes before the break - youngster Lee Wallace was his replacement.

Duffy outpaced the Hearts defence early in the second half but hit his first time shot straight at Banks.

Hearts got their first glimpse at goal after 56 minutes when the ball broke to Rudi Skacel in the penalty box but the Czech midfielder blasted it against Bairns 'keeper Matt Glennon from 10 yards.

The loose ball broke to Edgar Jankauskas only for the striker's shot to be headed away by Craig Ireland.

Duffy is sent sprawling by Gordon's challenge

Despite being a man down, the visitors were looking more menacing as Falkirk lost the passing rhythm that had served them so well.

However, Hearts' luck ran out when captain Pressley knocked in a bizarre own goal.

Banks did well to race from his goal and block a shot from Duffy but the ball cannoned off his knees onto the back-tracking Pressley and ricocheted into the unguarded net.

Falkirk substitute John O'Neil almost made an immediate impact when his fierce angled shot was well beaten away by Banks.

Four minutes later, Pressley dragged his team back into the game when he lunged to steer in a flashing free-kick from Skacel.

Hearts were pouring forward and leaving huge gaps at the back but Falkirk could not add to their tally despite a number of promising breaks.

And the home side were caught out in injury time when a defensive mix-up allowed Pressley the simple task of knocking the ball into an empty net.

Falkirk: Glennon, Lawrie, Rodrigues, Ireland, Milne, O'Donnell (O'Neil 69), Lima, Latapy, Steven Thomson, Gow (Moutinho 86), Duffy (McBreen 83). Subs Not Used: Hill, McPherson, Scally, McStay.

Booked: Rodrigues, Lima. Goals: Duffy 27 pen, Pressley 68 og.

Hearts: Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Webster, McAllister, Camazzola (Cesnauskis 77), Hartley, Skacel, Brellier (Wallace 38), Jankauskas, Pospisil (Banks 26). Subs Not Used: Simmons, Mikoliunas, Elliot, Tall.

Sent Off: Gordon (25) Booked: Jankauskas. Goals: Pressley 72, 90.

Att: 6,342

Ref: I Brines

Taken from the BBC