IAIN Vigurs spared Ross County’s blushes with a stunning strike 12 minutes from time to deny Falkirk a much-needed, if unlikely, victory.
The Staggies were 12 minutes away from being embarrassed by the bottom-placed club, who had been leading through a bizarre Don Cowie own goal.
However, Vigurs stepped up and curled a wonderful strike to earn a point even if the Dingwall men ended the night in second place, knocked off top spot by Ayr United.
Falkirk had threatened in 20 minutes when Deimantas Petravicius made a terrific run down the left side. He eased away from Stelios Demetriou and drove over a tempting low cross but Zak Rudden just failed to get a touch for a certain goal.
Then they roared into the lead five minutes later from a similar attacking situation – but it was a complete disaster for Cowie.
The former Scotland midfielder tried to clear Tommy Robson’s cross from the left but only succeeded in guiding a header into the top corner of his own net.
It was some finish – if only it had been at the other end.
Falkirk should have had a second just before half-time. Again, the pace of Petravicius on the left caused the problem and his cutback for Paul Paton seemed perfect but the midfielder lost his footing when he should have burst the net.
County had dominated possession but their only real first half chance was a Billy McKay header, ser up by Demetriou, that harmlessly flew over the bar in 23 minutes.
They tried to remedy that inadequacy in the early moments of the second half.
McKay showed his quality as he spun outside the Falkirk box in 47 minutes and rolled a pass for Davis Keillor-Dunn but his shot was saved.
Then, in 53 minutes, Ross Draper forced David Mitchell into another fine stop when the Falkirk goalkeeper managed to hold his header following Josh Mullin’s corner.
It was wave after wave of County attacks as they hemmed Falkirk in but the battling Bairns somehow held firm,
However, nearing a 1-0 win they couldn’t hold out any longer when the game was levelled with Vigurs' sensational strike.
It was tough luck on Falkirk, Rudden, back helping out his defence, had a clearance deflected into the path of Vigurs who didn’t need a second invitation, with the midfielder curling a fabulous left-foot strike into the top-left corner.
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