I told Bairns to go for jugular but we played like c**p
Peter Houston labelled Falkirk’s performance c**p – but insists they’re still in the driving seat for that second-top play-off spot.
The Bairns battled back from 1-0 down at Tannadice as Luke Leahy’s late header cancelled out Simon Murray’s 53rd-minute opener for the hosts.
It was far from vintage stuff from the visitors who didn’t start to turn on the style until they equalised with substitute Scott Shepherd striking the post in the final minute.
Houston, whose promotion-chasing side remain fours points ahead of Dundee United and two above rivals Morton, made no excuses for his team’s dreary display overall.
Houston said: “We could have won it at the end.
“But for 70 minutes I felt we didn’t play anywhere near the standard we have set ourselves.
“That wasn’t the real Falkirk out there.
“I thought the game was c**p. The first-half was a non-event.
“For two teams near the top of the division, the standard was pretty poor.
“We scored a fantastic goal and in the end we’ve hit the post, although we could have gone 2-0 down as well when Murray hit the inside of the post.
“So it’s probably a better point for us than United.
“We finished much the stronger side and we had them by the throat.
“I wanted to go for the jugular but unfortunately things didn’t fall for us.
“Nothing has changed in terms of the league positions but we just have to look after ourselves.”
There was plenty at stake in this encounter and United boss Ray McKinnon wasn’t afraid to hand highly-rated teenage midfielder Scott Allardice his debut.
The Tangerines were almost gifted the lead in 10 minutes when Murray dispossessed Falkirk stopper Lucas Gasparotto before slipped the ball to Thomas Mikkelsen.
But the on-loan Danish striker hesitated and Aaron Muirhead got back to clear the danger.
Then, in 16 minutes, Stewart Murdoch put Murray clean through only for the forward to drag his 12-yard shot past visiting keeper Robbie Thomson’s far post. A few minutes later, Falkirk had their first glimpse of goal.
John Baird was set up by Myles Hippolyte but home keeper Cammy Bell parried his effort.
United, though, took a deserved lead in 50 minutes.
Mikkelsen’s cute head flick set Murray free and the striker raced clear of the visiting defence before sending a precise finish into Thomson’s far corner.
Soon after, Murray was denied a quick-fire second when his curling shot came back off the post following William Edjenguele’s raking pass. However, Falkirk levelled with seven minutes remaining.
Sub James Craigen’s flighted free-kick picked out Leahy in acres of space and he planted a header into Bell’s far corner.
Sub Shepherd then saw his left-foot effort come back off the post from Craig Sibbald’s cross as the Bairns pushed for a dramatic winner.
United boss McKinnon berated his side’s defending which robbed them of three points.
McKinnon said: “For 80 minutes, we could have been 2-0 up. But again our Achilles heel was losing a goal from a set-piece.
“I’m very disappointed with that. We worked hard on it all week but it has cost us and the players know that.”