St Johnstone WFC could not have left it any later to secure a 1-1 draw against Falkirk at the Falkirk Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
“This is the last kick of the game. There are no rebounds. It’s a goal, a save or a miss, and that’s it,” said referee Stephen MacDonald to the players as Elvie McLean placed the ball for her 93rd minute penalty.
Clearly not feeling the added pressure, Elvie, who first started playing as a youngster at Falkirk, tucked the ball inside Charlotte Ferguson’s left-hand post to see Saints return home with a point.
The first half was a quiet encounter with neither goalkeeper greatly troubled. For Falkirk, it was the offside flag that repeatedly denied them the chance to test Megan Sidey in the Saints goal. For Saints, they found a dogged Falkirk side who smothered most of our advances.
The home side had more of the game in the opening ten minutes and Saints had to absorb a bit of pressure from the hosts. That was relieved when Brode Rigby-Wilson came close for Saints, she floated an effort across goal from the right which went just narrowly wide. Shortly after, at the other end, Emma Lawson saw an effort easily gathered by Megan Sidey. Eighteen minutes in, Lawson went close again, she found herself in time and space but her effort was a comfortable save for Sidey low to her left.
Most of the half was played out in the middle of the park with the next chances of note coming after 35 minutes when Leni Parrish and Elvie McLean both went close for Saints from distance. With three minutes of the half remaining, Falkirk won a free kick on the left hand-side of the penalty area. The ball was laid off to Maisie Stewart, but her strike was easily caught by Sidey.
Play quickly moved to the other end and Robyn Smith drove into the box but her powerful strike was well saved by Ferguson. Falkirk won another free kick in stoppage time but Amy Lynch’s effort went over the bar.
The second half saw Falkirk start strongly again, Stewart with an effort curled wide of goal eight minutes after the restart. Three minutes later, the home side took the lead. Lawson strode down the left and played the ball into the box where Olivia Murphy was unmarked to tap the ball home.
Once again the match began to be played out in the middle of the park, with the sides evenly matched, and little in the way of real goalmouth action.
With 15 minutes left, Saints came close to an equaliser. Lucy Livie did incredibly well to keep a ball in play that was being left to run out by a defender. She cut the ball back to Emily Shanks whose side-footed effort came back off the crossbar.
Five minutes later, the game was nearly put out of sight, Mhari Smith played through on goal but Sidey saved well to keep Saints in the game.
There had been more Saints pressure in the closing stages, winning a couple of corners, and pot shots at goal, and it eventually paid off. Emily Shanks chased down a ball into the box, which broke free as Ferguson came to gather. It fell fortuitously to the feet of Shanks who played it back to Ellie MacIver who was caught at the edge of the area by Caitlin Armstrong.
Despite her protestations she had got a touch on the ball, referee MacDonald pointed to the spot and McLean dispatched the penalty to secure Saints a late, late point.
Next Sunday the side are back at the Community Arena when Dundee United are the visitors for a 4pm kick off.
Saints Sidey, Telford (Malcolm), K.Brady (Tomb), Burns, McLean, Moodie, Livie, McMillan (Clark), R.Smith, Rigby-Wilson (MacIver), Parrish (Shanks)
Subs not used Gates, Taplin, D.Smith
