Alan Cochrane @ Falkirk Stadium

This was a grumpy, crabbit sort of game to kick start 2009 that gave each team a share of the points. Eight yellow cards in a game that wasn't particularly physical seemed a lot, but maybe it was just that sort of niggly occasion. If, at half time, Killie were thinking about scrapping to get a draw, by the end, one point didn't seem enough. Falkirk deservedly went in at the break a goal ahead, with Steve Lovell getting the slightest of touches to a deflected through ball from McBride, to slide the ball under Rascle from very close range, but Kilmarnock had had the two best chances of the half, got a goal back after half time, and by the end, Falkirk were a mite fortunate not to be breached again.

Killie didn't really get going throughout the first 45 minutes, with passes going awry, players getting isolated, and the mid-field being outthought and outfought by the home side. Higdon was a thorn in the flesh with his holding up the ball for support to get up, Arfield was busy, and Neil McCann showed his class throughout. Killie did have a few chances though. The first of Killie's chances came when Fernandez set Gibson free, but the winger's shot across goal went the wrong side of the post. Russell had a header from a Hay cross saved, and Fernandez himself shot wide, but when a raking Fernandez pass found Russell in acres of space, the centre's first touch was coarse, and allowed Olejnik time to get out and block the shot. So it was that Lovell goal that separated the teams at the break.

The second half was very different. Craig Bryson came on five minutes in for Hamill, which let Willie Gibson go wide right, Skelton go wide left, and Bryson himself provide the forward drive through the middle. This brought almost immediate results. Gibson got down the wing and sent a glorious cross to the back post, and although Bryson miss-kicked it, Gibson got it back, sent in another cross, and David Fernandez, who was by far the best player on show today, got a delicate reverse header to beat Olejnik, and draw Killie level.

After that equaliser, there was only one team that looked like winning. Simmonds had a clever header come back off the bar, there was a penalty claim for hand ball, which would have been harsh on Falkirk, and an almighty scramble on the Bairns' line right at the death, ending when Scobbie threw himself in the way of a net-bound volley.

From being down at half time, the whole team was disappointed at not getting all three points, and Jim Jefferies was content with the tempo and skill in the second half. Once again he was waxing lyrical about David Fernandez, his football brain, his bravery and his skill, and it was fitting that he got Killie's goal today. And as for David himself? He enjoyed it!

Falkirk: Olejnik, Bullen, Holden, McNamara, McBride, McCann, Riera (Barrett), Higdon, Lovell, Arfield, Scobbie

Kilmarnock: Rascle, Fowler, Hay, Wright, Russell (Simmonds), Murray, Gibson, Skelton, Fernandez, Hamill (Bryson), Pascali

Referee: Iain Brines