Falkirk 1-1 Livingston: Late Danny Wilson goal snatches point for Livi in Scottish Premiership game

Danny Wilson headed home a last-minute equaliser as Livingston snatched a 1-1 draw against Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership.

Veteran striker Brian Graham’s emphatic penalty had given the hosts an early lead after Calvin Miller’s corner had struck Livi’s Stevie May on the elbow.

Mo Sylla was then inches away for the visitors, while Falkirk had further chances through Ethan Williams and Miller, but just as the hosts looked to be heading for a third straight home league win, Wilson’s towering back-post header secured a precious point for Livi.

The Bairns were 3-0 up inside 40 minutes last time out against Kilmarnock and made a fast start again at the Falkirk Stadium, taking the lead after quarter of an hour through Graham’s second goal since joining in the summer.

Livi looked to hit back and Lewis Smith had their first effort of note in the 21st minute with a fierce left-footed attempt from distance that flew narrowly over Falkirk goalkeeper Scott Bain’s crossbar.

Sylla then came even closer in the 32nd minute as he latched onto a misplaced Dylan Tait pass before arrowing a low shot from 20 yards that skidded inches wide of the far post.

Miller and Williams had looked a constant threat for the hosts and they combined to great effect in the 37th minute, resulting in a near-post effort by the latter that Livi stopper Jerome Prior did well to save with his feet.

There were no further chances in the first half but Falkirk could have been 2-0 in front five minutes into the second period as Filip Lissah jinked inside and unleashed a dipping shot that Miller could only divert wide from six yards.

Chances were coming at both ends, though, and Livi had a great opportunity in the 53rd minute. Left-back Cristian Montano carried the ball before releasing Jeremy Bokila and he made space to dig out a shot with his left foot that drifted just over the bar.

Prior was then called into action again in the 62nd minute as Kyrell Wilson’s cross took a wicked deflection but the scrambling Livi keeper clawed the ball away.

Both sides threw on substitutes and it was Livingston replacement Robbie Muirhead who had their best chance with 10 minutes remaining as he headed Tete Yengi’s inviting cross straight at grateful Falkirk stopper Bain.

That looked like it was going to be the visitors’ final chance until they snatched a point right at the death, with captain Wilson heading home Graham Carey’s precise free-kick to stun the hosts.

Falkirk had one more chance through substitute midfielder Scott Arfield but his placed effort drifted wide.

Martindale: Penalty decision harsh

Livingston manager David Martindale:

“I think it’s really harsh. The referee in real time says to Stevie ‘your hands are in, you didn’t have time to react to it’.

“Brian Graham runs across the eye-line of Stevie May and it hits him there in the box.

“The referee doesn’t think it’s a penalty and it goes to VAR and we’re looking at it thinking ‘he’s not going to give that’.

“The distance between Brian Graham and Stevie May is a maximum of half-a-yard and it hits his arm. He gives the penalty, so I felt a bit hard done by then.

“Stevie’s disappointed because the referee explains it, Stevie agrees, we agree, then it goes to VAR and I think when you start slowing it down you can come up with any outcome.

“When we watched it back it’s quite hard to see…so maybe there’s another angle and I’ll have to apologise.”

McGlynn: Falkirk lost control in the second half

Falkirk boss John McGlynn:

“They’re a decent team and you can see that they’ve put us under pressure.

“They’ve got a lot of big players and they’ve put a lot of big players on and that’s part of the game and you’ve got to defend against it.

“Unfortunately, having defended well for most of the second half, we succumbed to that one which is a bit unfortunate.

“I thought we should have maybe been further ahead with the superiority in the first half, but we lost control in the second and Livi controlled it, which is disappointing.

“We were dangerous on the counter-attack but didn’t manage to take advantage of these opportunities.

“Unfortunately for us we lose a goal to a set-piece which is a wee bit annoying. You’ve got to defend it, which we don’t.

“It’s another point. Yes, when you’ve got three in the bag at half-time you’re a bit concerned you didn’t get all three, but it’s still been a very good start and as long as you’re picking up points you’ll keep the wolf from the door.”

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