Before the match started there was a minute's applause for Motherwell
skipper Phil O'Donnell who died after collapsing at Fir Park during the
match against Dundee United on Saturday.
A poignant sixty seconds gave way to a positive start to the match
with both sides keen to gain an early advantage, and it was the slicker
visitors who took the lead in the 11th minute with a simple enough goal.
Arfield drilled his cross in to the Killie box from the left and
Finnigan nipped ahead of Simon Ford and redirected the ball past Combe
from around eight yards out.
Killie stuttered for a few moments before launching their fightback
but some poor decision-making in the final third was denying them the
chance to draw level.
Despite Kilmarnock's enthusiasm, there was an element of hesitancy in
their defence and in the 25th minute, after Wright's poor attempt at a
headed backpass was intercepted by Finnigan, Combe took two attempts to
clutch the Englishman's low drive from the edge of the box.
At the other end, Killie midfielder David Fernandez found some space
inside the packed Falkirk box but curled his shot from 16 yards high
over the bar.
Falkirk's fluidity going forward was impressive but all too often for
manager Hughes' liking they spluttered to a halt around the Rugby Park
penalty area.
However, in the 40th minute Finnigan gave the unmarked Michael Higdon
the chance to grab number two with a fine cross from the left but the
big Bairns striker headed over from 12 yards out.
The home side were booed off at the break which may have inspired
boss Jim Jefferies to give Alan Morgan (right) his debut at the start of the
second half as a replacement for Fernandez.
But it was Falkirk who were first to threaten again when striker
Pedro Moutinho picked up an Arfield pass and drilled in a low angled
shot from 16 yards which Combe did well to stop between his legs at the
near post.
There was some encouragement for the home side in the 53rd minute
when Danny Invincibile sent a searching drive from 25 yards towards the
far corner of the net, Bairns keeper Krul diving low to his right to
beat the ball away.
Falkirk's talismanic midfielder Russell Latapy replaced Moutinho
after 56 minutes, the veteran looking to provide the decisive pass that
would help the visitors grab the crucial second.
But moments later Killie defender Jamie Hamill managed to blast
Morgan's powerful corner wide from barely six yards out when any
goal-bound touch would surely have resulted in the equaliser.
Play continued to swing from end to end, but as the game entered the
last quarter it looked like Finnigan's first-half header would be enough
to separate the sides.
Killie introduced Allan Johnston for Mehdi Taouil and they chased the
equaliser for all their worth.
In the 90th minute, after Krul had pulled off a fine save from Hamill,
there was huge melee on the line involving around half the players on
the park which ended with Fraser Wright and Krul being
dismissed.
