Dundee made two changes to the Dee team. Ethan Hamilton and Ryan Astley returned to the starting eleven in the place of Paul Digby, who was on the bench, and the injured Fin Robertson.
Dundee attacked a got a free kick inside 20 secs when Yogane was fouled. Both teams attacked and it was a even half of football.
Cameron Congreve had a shot saved well by Bain in the Bairns goal. A minute after Congreve’s effort it looked like Falkirk would be reduced to 10 men when Brad Spencer was shown a red card for a challenge on Ash Hay. After a delay while Hay received treatment referee Duncan Nicolson was sent to the VAR screen to review the decision. That resulted in the red card being downgraded to a yellow.
In first half injury time Yan Dhanda tried a shot from the edge of the penalty area. It was on target but blocked suspiciously by Finn Yeats. It was no surprise that a VAR review was announced when the ball next went dead, which was when the referee blew for half time. The review established that the block was handball and Yan Dhanda scored with an impeccable penalty which sent Bain the wrong way.
Second half and again both teams attacked Wright was unlucky when his shot went wide of the goal, after good play from Tony Yogane.
Falkirk did attack but Jon McCracken took all the crosses and their efforts went well wide of the goal.
Just after the hour mark Dundee made two substitutions and changed shape. Simon Murray and Imari Samuels came on for Congreve and Yogane. The Dee now lined up as 5-3-2, with Wright switching to right wing back, Ryan Astley to right centre back, and Samuels taking the left wing back slot.
But on 87 minutes Simon Murray was sent off for a silly tackle from behind. But Dundee sent on two subs for fresh legs in the form of Paul Digby and Emile Acquah in the place of Callum Jones and Ash Hay.
A shock it was eight minutes of injury time which did go quickly with Dundee digging in to deny Falkirk.
Dundee: McCracken, Astley, Koumetio, Graham, Wright, Jones (Digby 90+1), Hamilton (c), Congreve (Murray 61), Dhanda, Yogane (Samuels 61), Hay (Acquah 90+1). Unused Subs: O’Hara (gk), Ingram, Donnelly, Reilly, Galabov.
Referee: Duncan Nicolson.
Att: 6,798
