Perseverance paid off for Simon Murray at one end of the pitch only for Dundee United to let themselves down at the other.
Murray has a positive and determined personality and he used those qualities to keep going, eventually opening the scoring for the Tangerines on 50 minutes against Falkirk at Tannadice on Saturday after earlier chances were squandered.
He then came within the width of the post of what would have been a spectacular second strike, only to look on in agony as the Bairns equalised with just seven minutes left through a Luke Leahy header off a freekick from substitute James Craigen.
Murray said: “It was disappointing because we defended well for most of the game and then another setpiece has let us down.
“There were a lot of good points in the game but one slip has cost us a victory.
“I should have probably had a couple more goals and I’m disappointed about that.
“However, people do miss chances and you just have to keep hammering away.
“I was in two minds for the first one and then tried to cut it back to Thomas (Mikkelsen). I maybe should have just hit it.
“I did get the goal, though, and was unlucky with the one that came off the post.
“I thought that was in all the way and don’t know how it was possible for the ball to hit the post then come back out like that.
“I had the sun in my eyes but caught it as sweet as a nut and the keeper was nowhere near it.
“Sometimes there are narrow margins in football between winning, drawing or losing and we came close to victory.
“We were still 1-0 up with seven minutes to go and felt comfortable and to lose that goal was frustrating.
“But the positives are there for us.”
United should have taken the lead as early as 10 minutes.
Bairns player Luca Gasparotto slipped and left the ball to Murray, who raced in on goal.
Instead of shooting he tried to square to Mikkelsen but the cutback wasn’t the best and the Dane couldn’t control the ball and Tom Taiwo nipped in to clear for Falkirk.
Five minutes later, the hosts squandered another great opportunity.
It was Gasparotto at fault again for the visitors as he lost possession to Murray just outside the box.
The Tannadice frontman was left in the clear but he stabbed his shot past the far post.
Then, on 35 minutes, they missed another great chance, this time Tony Andreu heading wide from in front of goal after he was found by a Blair Spittal cross from the right.
United had enjoyed the better of the first half and should have been ahead at the break but at least they only had to wait five minutes of the second before finally getting on the scoresheet.
It was a fine run and finish from Murray, who cut in from the left before shooting past the advancing keeper Robert Thomson.
Just two minutes later, Murray was almost the hero again when he hit a spectacular half-volley from out wide on the left and it smacked the far post before bouncing back out the way.
It was hard luck on the former Arbroath man and, with just seven minutes remaining, Leahy nodded home for Falkirk.
The Bairns then had the better of the closing stages and hit the woodwork through Scott Shepherd.
Nonetheless, Murray is determined to take the positives from what was, at times, a pretty good performance from the Tangerines.
“There is no doom and gloom from us at this vital stage of the season,” said the striker.
“We still have a very good chance of getting second place and we will push for that.
“I fancy playing again soon and it’s great that we have a match against Dunfermline on Tuesday night.”
That is how manager Ray McKinnon sees it as well, although he conceded that his team should have been a couple of goals clear of the Bairns before they levelled and bemoaned the vulnerability at setpieces.
“I am going to take a lot of positives out of that,” said McKinnon.
“We probably should have been a couple of goals up and we created chances.
“We looked OK – decent.
“Our Achilles heel was there again and we lost a goal from a setpiece. We gifted them the goal.
“We worked so hard on that but they guys have to take responsibility and match their men.
“Instead, it was a free header so that’s disappointing.
“I am not going to hang anyone out to dry but it was all said in the dressing room and they know it’s cost us the game, along with the missed chances.
“We need to be more ruthless at both ends of the park.”
One really bright spot for United was the mature display from 19-year-old midfielder Scott Allardice on his debut.
McKinnon said: “It was a nice introduction for Scott.
“He acquitted himself very well at just 19.
“I really like him. He had a presence and is a big player.
“He is not fazed by anything, although his legs went a bit there and he had to come off.
“It was a good debut for him and nice for the club to be having young players coming through.
“I am delighted for him.”
