Houston on attack over poor defending

Falkirk 2 Austin 31, Muirhead 71PEN Queen of the South 2 Dobbie 9, 78

PETER Houston tore into his defenders and declared his Falkirk team would not deserve to finish second if they replicated what was on display yesterday when Stephen Dobbie punished them with two strikes that took him closer to finishing the season as the Championship’s leading marksman.

The Queen of the South front man took his tally to 19 in the league with the first and last goals of a match Falkirk were 12 minutes away from winning after Nathan Austin had scored and Aaron Muirhead converted a penalty. Manager Houston said: “If we are going to lose goals like we did today we’re not going to get second place – and we don’t deserve it if we defend like that.”

Queens were ahead in nine minutes when Falkirk were caught out by Danny Carmichael’s quick throw-in that sent Lyndon Dykes racing towards the penalty area.

Dykes might have taken a shot but cleverly rolled a pass for Dobbie who slotted the ball into an unguarded net to claim his 25th goal of the season.

Falkirk, who had started well, did not let the setback affect them as they dominated and pressed the Dumfries side. Peter Grant had a header blocked on the line by Jordan Marshall, then Lee Robinson made a superb block on John Baird’s left-foot shot.

The Queens goalkeeper, however, was left unprotected after 31 minutes as Falkirk produced an equaliser which had seemed inevitable for some time.

James Craigen’s diagonal free-kick to the back post was headed back across goal by Grant, knocked down by Luke Leahy, and Austin had a simple task, netting from six yards.

Queens were fortunate to reach half-time on level terms as Grant came close again with a header in 34 minutes. Then Robinson made a superb save from Leahy’s header, clutching the ball just in front of his line.

They were a tougher prospect after the break but it looked as though the game had slipped from when Falkirk scored a second goal after 71 minutes. Mark Kerr’s pass sent Austin into the right side of the box and he was clearly taken down by Robinson. Muirhead made a superb job of the penalty, finding the left corner.

However, 12 minutes from time Queens found an equaliser that could prove so costly in terms of Falkirk’s play-off schedule.

Substitute Dom Thomas measured a cross from the left and Dobbie got in between Leahy and Grant to place a great header into the left corner.

Falkirk thought they might have had a winner in 87 minutes through Bob McHugh but he was flagged offside.

Queens boss Gary Naysmith said: “Last week I publicly criticised the players so for them to put in that type of performance says a lot for them.”