Bhoys held by Bairns

Samaras: Equalised for Celtic

Related links

Teams

• Celtic

Also see

• SPL fixtures
• SPL table
• SPL stats

Celtic lost further ground on arch-rivals Rangers after being held to a 1-1 draw against Falkirk at Parkhead.

Tony Mowbray's Bhoys were behind in the 19th minute with Carl Finnigan giving the Bairns a surprise lead.

Although Greek striker Georgios Samaras levelled matters five minutes before half-time they were unable to find a winner.

Samaras headed wide from a Marc-Antoine Fortune cross inside 30 seconds but Celtic were soon on the back foot and Andreas Hinkel cleared Pedro Pele's header off the line following a Ryan Flynn corner.

Ki Sung Yeung was playing in the deep position of a midfield diamond spearheaded by Aiden McGeady, and Celtic's best early move started and finished with the pair.

Zheng Zhi burst past the Falkirk midfield after Naylor had helped on Ki's pass and fed McGeady, who shot just wide from 20 yards.

Wrong way

Fortune headed Ki's deep free-kick just beyond the far post but Celtic soon fell behind. Finnigan knocked the ball past Darren O'Dea after a Enoch Showunmi head-on but the Irishman seemed in control until the striker brushed him off and sent Artur Boruc the wrong way from 16 yards.

Boruc rescued Celtic in the 28th minute, parrying Flynn's measured shot from 18 yards after Finnigan had laid off a Marc Twaddle cross.

Marc Crosas shot just over from similar range after the Falkirk defence struggled to clear a McGeady cross but Celtic soon suffered another blow when Stephen McManus was replaced by 18-year-old Josh Thompson.

The hosts were struggling to break down a hard-working Falkirk side but Samaras worked some room away from Pele on the left channel and fired inside the far post to level the match after 40 minutes.

Naylor curled a 20-yard free-kick just over and Zhi headed Hinkel's cross wide from close range after the restart but the visitors were enjoying an equal share of possession and Vitor Lima twice came close from long range.

Ki almost made himself an instant Celtic hero in the 66th minute with a brilliant free-kick, however Olejnik flew to his left to push the 30-yard effort away from his top corner.

Pressure

Winger Niall McGinn replaced Crosas as Mowbray reverted to a more familiar midfield shape with McGeady moving wide left, and Celtic stepped up the pressure.

But Lima blocked well when McGeady worked himself into a shooting position after a short corner and Fortune miscued Ki's long free-kick.

Paddy McCourt came on for Hinkel but and quickly beat two men and sent over an inviting cross, but there were no takers, and Zhi's powerful cross soon flashed wide off the head of Samaras.

Boruc was penalised for carrying the ball out the box to the disgust of the home fans but sub Jack Compton was a yard too high with the resulting free-kick.

The Celtic support soon vented their ire against referee Alan Muir when he ignored penalty appeals after Fortune fell hopefully inside the box under the attentions of McLean.

McCourt fired a 20-yard shot just wide in the 89th minute with a slight deflection and Falkirk held on for their second draw against Celtic this season.