Highlights - Falkirk 0-1 Hamilton

By Colin Moffat

Falkirk missed the chance to move off the foot of the Scottish Premier League table as Hamilton continued their strong finish to the season.

Marco Paixao headed in the only goal in a first half dominated by the visitors.

The hosts improved after the break and Pedro Mountinho's rasping strike was well saved by Sean Murdoch.

A header from Falkirk captain Darren Barr hit the post but Steven Pressley's struggling side did not do enough to break down an obdurate Accies defence.

Falkirk remain one point adrift in bottom spot and certainly did not play like a team fighting for survival in the first half, meekly standing off their opponents, who have now taken 21 points from their last 10 fixtures.

Hamilton started brightly and an early corner flashed across goal, having been touched on by Martin Canning at near post.

Falkirk responded with Moutinho cutting into the penalty area and firing in a shot that was gathered comfortably by keeper Murdoch, deputising for the rested Tomas Cerny.

However, that was to be the only effort on target in what was a dismal first 45 minutes for the home side.

Hamilton scorned a great chance when a deflected shot fell into the path of Mickael Antoine-Curier but the Accies striker could only scuff his close-range effort straight at keeper Robert Olejnik.

The breakthrough came on 19 minutes when Marco Paixao leapt to head a great arrowed delivery from Dougie Imrie into the top corner of the net.

With the Falkirk defence foundering, Flavio Paixao was sent scampering through on goal by a Antoine-Curier pass but Olejnik rescued the Bairns with a good blocking save.

The visitors continued to knock the ball around with confidence without overly exerting Olejnik, while Falkirk failed to provide any attacking menace before the interval.

The home side started the second half in positive fashion, with Moutinho's flashing drive expertly tipped away by Murdoch and substitute Enoch Showunmi somehow failing to make contact with the resulting corner, when he looked sure to score.

Hamilton lost their earlier fluency in the face of a more aggressive approach from the hosts, although Marco Paixao threatened when he sent an acrobatic overhead kick over the crossbar.

A sizzler from Falkirk forward Mark Stewart screamed a few feet too high before Barr crashed a header against the woodwork.

The Bairns skipper met a corner from Moutinho and could not believe his luck when his effort struck the post, bounced off the head of Antoine-Curier and popped gently into the grateful arms of Murdoch.

A swerving shot from Moutinho then flashed wide, while Brian McLean and Showunmi could not apply the finishing touch during an injury-time scramble in front of the Accies' goal.

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