Falkirk v Motherwell – Cartwright makes the difference as Falkirk earn massive three points
The Bairns edge past The Steelmen to put them just two points behind Hibs, as Henry Cartwright scores just moments after he enters the pitch to finish Falkirk’s unbeaten run against Motherwell this season. Falkirk started rapidly. In the first seconds of the match, Calvin Miller tried to lob Calum Ward, but his effort was saved easily. Barney Stewart’s effort in the 12th minute flew over Ward’s goal. However, the Falkirk pressure was increasing, causing a really open first 15 minutes. Motherwell started to pressure the Falkirk backline. Elijah Just and Callum Slattery’s combination play found Motherwell in many promising positions, but it wasn’t enough to test Nicky Hogarth in the Falkirk net. Elijah Just had a fantastic opportunity to open the scoring in the 24th minute. The PFA Player of the Year nominee’s effort drifted slightly past Hogarth’s goal. Shortly after, Barney Stewart was found in a two versus one situation through on goal. The young Scotsman opted to go by himself and lashed it over Ward’s crossbar. Moments after, he was found in a similar position nearing on goal. But it was the same outcome, as his blasted effort didn’t test Motherwell’s Ward. However, a worrying sign for the Motherwell defence. In the 33rd minute Emmanuel Longelo found himself in a promising position just outside the box. Looking to add to his double last week, his effort was heading towards the corner of the net before Hogarth’s save pushed the ball away for a corner. Just before the half time whistle, Ben Broggio delivered an inviting cross towards Calvin Miller. He got onto the end of it, but Paul McGinn’s leg denied any goal bound danger, before Stewarts low driven effort was saved well by Ward. There was more to come before the half-time whistle. A horrendous mistake from Calum Ward almost caused Motherwell to go into the interval behind. Somehow, Stewart failed to open the scoring although he was yards away from goal. After a fairly even first half, with chances at both ends, Dan McFarlane blew the half-time whistle to end what was an entertaining 45 minutes although there were no goals. Barney Stewart had another brilliant chance just shortly after the interval. The Falkirk talisman was unmarked, but his header again didn’t test Ward. Another warning sign for Motherwell. In the 54th minute Longelo was lurking deep in Falkirk territory. The ball fell to him on the bounce but his lashed effort rippled into the side netting of the Falkirk net. End to end action at The Falkirk Stadium saw The Bairns finally open the scoring in the 63rd minute. On the pitch for a small moment of time, Henry Cartwright’s low driven effort fell into the bottom corner, sending the home support into frenzy. The home side’s goal gave them real confidence. Calvin Miller skipped past the Motherwell midfield and defence with ease, but at the last hurdle seen his effort go wide. In the 81st minute, Kyrell Wilson skipped past Longelo and aimed one into the roof of the net. It wasn’t to be like last weekend for the Swansea loanee, as his rocket landed marginally over the crossbar. The Steelmen threw everything at it for the final 10 minutes. They almost equalised in the final minute of the match, when Stephen Welsh’s header fell into the danger area, but it bobbled out for a Falkirk goal-kick. A massive three points for Falkirk, sees them two points behind Hibs before they face Celtic tomorrow afternoon. For Motherwell, a disappointing result this afternoon. But they have a fantastic opportunity to cause upset in this fascinating title race as they play Hearts and Celtic in their next two fixtures. Falkirk: Hogarth (8), McCann (7), Spencer (7), Broggio (7), Yeats (6), Neilson (7), Stewart (5), Allan (7), Tait (6), Miller (6) Subs: Cartwright (8), Wilson (5), Parkinson (4), Donaldson (3), Adams (3) Motherwell: Ward (6), O’Donnell (5), Sparrow (4), Slattery (5), Fadinger (5), McGinn (6), Maswanhise (4), Watt (5), Just (5), Longelo (7), Welsh (5) Subs: Said (4), Nicholson (3), Charles-Cook (3), Hendry (3)
