Houston bemoans sloppy Falkirk as Alloa snatch draw

FALKIRK lost an injury-time goal to tenman Alloa to draw 1-1 and that stumble helped Rangers increase their Championship table lead to seven points.

The game turned Falkirk’s way midway through the second half when Jason Marr fouled Lee Miller in the box, Alloa being hit with the double punishment of Marr’s dismissal and Baird firing home the resulting penalty.

A fifth win of the season for Peter Houston’s side was, however, snatched from their grasp when Colin Hamilton’s shot beat Danny Rogers in the Falkirk goal at the death.

Houston said: “We were not playing well but we should have been able to grind out a result and we didn’t. We had chances and then we were sloppy in terms of the build-up to their goal and the shot should have been saved.”

Alloa manager Danny Lennon said: “I have to praise my players for the character they showed. They could have thought getting a point was beyond them at a goal and a man down, however they kept going and got what they deserved.”

Queen of the South and Morton drew 2-2, with home skipper Chris Higgins passing the ball into his own net while trying to find goalkeeper Robbie Thomson after just seven minutes. The home team drew level just before half-time when Derek Lyle turned the ball home.

Morton regained the lead on 65 minutes when Denny Johnstone scored from Stefan Mccluskey’s cross, before an own goal by Luca Gasporotto with nine minutes left drew the sides level.

Queen’s manager James Fowler said: “I am frustrated with the draw as we gave away bad goals. We dominated at the start of the second half and I could not believe that we were behind again to another soft goal.

“We got back into things and chased the win that I thought we deserved. We are still gelling as a team and have a bit of work to do to turn dominance into goals and wins.”

Greenock Morton manager Jim Duffy said: “The players put in a tremendous effort in every game and that showed as Queen of the South had spells when they were on top but we dug in to get a point.”