Falkirk 0-0 Motherwell

Mar 2 2008 Gordon Waddell At Falkirk Stadium

Mcghee's Happy To Settle For Draw As Well Close In On Third

MARK McGHEE insists he's a glass half full kind of guy - despite watching Motherwell pour another two points away in the race for Europe.

The Fir Park side ran out of steam and ideas after dominating Falkirk for 45 minutes, leaving them with just two points from nine as the season hits the business end.

But the Well gaffer still saw it as a step closer to the third spot they crave.

McGhee is convinced 59 points is the magic mark they have to hit to book their UEFA Cup flights and shrugged: "I'm honestly not frustrated.

"It's not two points dropped - it's one more point towards our target.

"I'm counting down and am convinced we need 13more points to get third place.

"Today takes us one further ahead of Dundee United, who didn't play, and Hibs, who lost.

"The way to look at it is that's our game in hand gone, which was supposed to be against Celtic, and we've gained a point.

"I was quite satisfied with that considering the conditions. We dominated the first half, were neck and neck in the second and the back four and keeper were outstanding."

If the power of positive thinking is enough to see you through then you have to admire McGhee's philosophy.

But he'll need more than that if his team keep failing to bury sides after dominating the way they did in the first half.

John Hughes had made three changes from the Bairns team that capitulated to Hibs in midweek but the way they started here you'd never have known.

They barely made it out their own half in the first 15 minutes as Well mastered the howling gale to pile the pressure on Robert Olejnik.

As they did against Dundee United last weekend though the Bairns backline bailed the rest of their team out big time.

The Austrian Under-21 keeper pulled off a magnificent clawing stop as David Clarkson's header from a woeful Tam Scobbie clearance looped towards the corner.

Scotland under-21 midfielder Scott Arfield, fresh from a new five-year deal, was doing most of his work going backwards as well, his tracking preventing a certain goal when he cut out Ross McCormack's cross to Keith Lasley.

Kenny Milne was next to take the plaudits, blocking Chris Porter deep in his own box and again Olejnik rescued his side with a brave stop at Lasley's feet on the six-yard line.

How Well went in goalless was anyone's guess especially when Premiership-bound McCormack blazed over from six yards right before the whistle.

Bairns, meanwhile, had shamefully forced just one save from a keeper in two and a half games - a statistic that was turned on its head 80 seconds after the break.

Arfield fed Pedro Moutinho who drilled in a fierce 20-yarder that Graeme Smith scrambled past his right-hand post.

The Portuguese frontman had a flame under him at last as he drifted into areas where he could cause some damage.

Twicemore he came close, the first with a 25-yarder that stung Smith and again when he swivelled from a Gerard Aafjes throw-in with 10 minutes left and forced a great point-blank save.

Bizarrely Moutinho got hooked by Hughes seconds later - a decision he threw a wobbler at, his shirt getting fired into the dugout as he stormed down the tunnel, closely followed by his gaffer.

Falkirk continued to press and Smith had to pull off another two quality stops fromCarl Finnigan to help take his side a point closer to McGhee's target.

His mates at the other end seemed to lose their drive though.

The usual flow of their front three was missing and Olejnik barely had a save to make.

Keeper Smith sighed: "With the number of games we've played recently the boys are tired.

"They put in a fantastic effort in difficult conditions and you have to remember Falkirk are a good side. It's a decent point.

"The conditions were tough but at least they had grass on the park which is more than we have!

"If I never see our pitch again between now and the end of the season, I'll be happy."

REF WATCH

CRAIG THOMSON put on a fine display in the art of refereeing. Stayed out the limelight, got his bookings spot on and managed the game with no fuss. Some of his colleagues could learn a lot. Rating: 8/10.