Falkirk and Motherwell play out forgettable goalless draw

Falkirk and Motherwell both remain in the top six after the sides could not be split in a forgettable goalless draw.

Motherwell’s Tawanda Maswanhise came closest to a winner when he had a close-range shot saved by Scott Bain shortly after half-time.

Despite failing to find a winner, Well remain third and are now unbeaten in seven in the league, while newly-promoted Falkirk stay sixth as they avoided defeat for the fifth straight game.

There was a lively start to the game as Alfredo Agyeman flashed a low shot just wide for Falkirk from the corner of the 18-yard box before Callum Slattery saw a shot blocked from the edge of the area a minute later.

The game settled into a pattern, with Motherwell dominating possession but failing to create clear-cut openings.

The next opportunity came for the home side in the 27th minute when a smart free-kick found Agyeman in an identical position to his earlier chance but his effort was deflected into the side-netting.

Motherwell full-back Emmanuel Longelo then produced a brilliant bit of skill to jink inside the box on the left wing but his shot clipped the near post and went wide.

The visitors had the best chance of the game within moments of the restart as Falkirk defender Liam Henderson failed to deal with a long ball over the top and Maswanhise went through on goal, but despite taking a brilliant touch back inside, he could only fire straight down the throat of Bain.

Bain was called into action again five minutes later as defender Filip Lissah inadvertently diverted Tom Sparrow’s shot goalwards but the keeper made a smart save.

At the other end, there was nearly an embarrassing moment for Motherwell goalkeeper Calum Ward as Brad Spencer’s 40-yard looping free-kick took him by surprise but the ball drifted inches wide of the far post.

Substitute Ethan Williams almost found the moment of quality the game badly needed in the 75th minute as he unleashed a powerful half-volley from the edge of the box but it arrowed narrowly wide of Ward’s near post.

Falkirk finished the stronger after a raft of attacking changes but failed to create any decent openings, with Lissah firing an acrobatic effort from the edge of the box straight at Ward as the game finished goalless.