Pressley's pair saves Hearts but Gordon loss hits hard

Ewan Murray at Falkirk Stadium
Monday October 3, 2005
The Guardian

Hearts will be without Craig Gordon for their next match against Celtic in Glasgow on Saturday week after the Scotland international goalkeeper was sent off in the 25th minute of a tempestuous match the leaders would have lost but for a last-minute equaliser from their captain Steven Pressley.

It ended their eight-match winning start to the season - they were seeking an SPL record of nine consecutive wins, a feat Hearts have not achieved since 1894 - and their advantage at the top is down to three points.

Falkirk appeared on course for victory after Darryl Duffy's penalty and a Pressley own-goal. But Pressley made amends with the late double that earned Hearts a remarkable and unlikely share of the points.

"The character of the side is great," the Hearts manager George Burley said. "In the second half we passed the ball well, kept our shape, created numerous chances and never dropped our heads. A number of things went against us, but we took it on the chin, kept battling away and got a deserved point."

Under John Hughes Falkirk have already enjoyed some measure of success against Celtic and Rangers, although Daniel McBreen's goal against the Gers was Falkirk's only home goal in the league before Hearts' visit.

But a sublime reverse pass from the effervescent Russell Latapy after 25 minutes paved the way for Duffy to double that tally. The former Rangers striker picked up the ball 18 yards out and the dreadfully exposed Gordon hauled him down in a frantic bid to prevent his side going behind. Yet the goalkeeper only delayed the inevitable, and as he trudged off Steve Banks's first act as a Hearts player was to retrieve the ball from the net as Duffy smacked home the penalty.

The visitors began the second period with renewed vigour, and Edgar Jankauskas, Rudi Skacel and Paul Hartley all contrived to miss from close range. Such wastefulness was to prove costly, as Banks's block from a Duffy shot rebounded off the unfortunate Pressley into his own net to double Falkirk's advantage.

It was up to Hearts to show the character that Burley counts as the hallmark of his team, and Pressley's back-post finish from Skacel's free-kick gave his team a fighting chance with 17 minutes left. That paved the way for an onslaught and in the final minute Pressley knocked home Andy Webster's cross from close range, setting up a mouth-watering test of Hearts' title aspirations at Parkhead.

"In the second half we seemed to play across our own box and invite trouble," said Hughes. "Credit to Hearts for coming back, but I'm bitterly disappointed."

Man of the match: Darryl Duffy (Falkirk)

Taken from the Guardian/Observer