Falkirk 0-0 Aberdeen

Jan 6 2008 Euan Mclean At Falkirk Stadium

IF John Hughes ever takes up Jimmy Calderwood's offer to use his holiday villa in Majorca he'd be wise to have a rummage in the cupboards for any voodoo dolls that look familiar. Because the Aberdeen boss clearly has some kind of spell over Yogi's Bairns with yesterday's draw stretching their record against the Dons to 17 games without a win.

But the way Hughes is starting to talk it's not Indian signs that are conspiring against his side - it's Scotland's referees.

The Falkirk boss was furious after seeing Scott Arfield harshly sent off and his side denied a penalty.

Eddie Smith's card-happy display contributed to Falkirk's failure to capitalise on the dominance they enjoyed before Arfield's 53rd-minute dismissal for two soft yellow cards.

But raging Hughes reckons it's par for the course with refs this season.

The Bairns gaffer said: "It was really harsh. Scott has stuck his toe in the water twice but the referee brought it on himself with his first booking. I feel for the kid - he's distraught.

"I won't have a go at the ref's integrity as he's out there trying to do his best. But a bit of common sense would have helped.

"However, I will have a go at refs in general. I don't know what it is - but every week we're getting a raw deal.

"I could put together a DVD but nothing gets done so it's pointless.

"I'm also hearing that the foul on Darren Barr was right on the line so it was a penalty.

"But us get a penalty? You're joking.

We've only had one spot-kick this season. However, all credit to my players for sticking together with 10 men and getting a point."

Arfield could consider himself unlucky to cop his first yellow for a first-half challenge on Barry Nicholson.

But going in so committed and slightly late on Lee Mair in the moment that changed this game wasn't clever.

From then on Aberdeen were handed the chance to get back into a game Falkirk had commanded.

Carl Finnigan's strike just wide of the far post set the tone for a half that saw Michael Higdon, Arnau Riera and Jack Ross come close with long shots.

Higdon was rightly flagged offside when he put the ball in the net after 38 minutes but Aberdeen almost scored against the run of play from two set-pieces.

Scott Severin volleyed the first just wide before Nicholson hit the side netting on the stroke of half-time.

Soft bookings for Dons trio Mair, Lee Miller and Chris Clark told the story of Smith's performance but it was Falkirk who suffered most with Arfield sent packing.

There was another injustice for the Bairns in 62 minutes as Severin went crashing into Barr on the 18-yard line only for the whistler to give a free-kick on the edge of the box.

Scobbie rattled the set-piece an inch over before Riera sent a shot agonisingly wide after a sweeping move.

Ten minutes from time Jamie Langfield rescued the Dons with a fingertip save from Higdon's shot.

Calderwood threw on Jeffrey de Visscher late on and within minutes he'd been booked and had a header cleared off the line by Latapy.

Latapy came within a foot of breaking Bairns' hoodoo at the death as his long shot was deflected just wide.

There was a final sting in the tail for Falkirk as Higdon went off on a stretcher in injury-time after a collision with Zander Diamond.

REF WATCH

EDDIE SMITH was wrong to deny Falkirk a penalty as Darren Barr was fouled in the box. Sending off Scott Arfield was also harsh. Rating: 5/10.

MATCH STATS

6 SHOTS ON 4

7 SHOTS OFF 10

5 OFFSIDE 2

11 FOULS 14

3 CORNERS 4

1 BOOKINGS 4