We can have no complaint at the result. Our inability to turn half chance into goals cost us dear. Our touch and passing was not as crisp as in recent games but we still carved out a few opportunities. Porter had a couple of headed efforts which might have given us the lead and McCormack had a fierce shot from the left corner of the box which forced Krul into a good save. At the other end, Smith had to mop up a couple of crosses but he had no saves to make until he changed ends.
A minute's applause for Stephen Ferguson
At the break it seemed that Motherwell were still on course for the record breaking sixth win. Surely if we kept calm and persisted with our passing game we would get a breakthough?
Alas, no. Higdon did the damage. He had given Reynolds a hard time in the first half and proved to be our undoing in the second. Three minutes after the resumption he rose above our defence to head down, beating Smith at his left corner.
Worse was to follow five minutes later. The big striker fired a low first time effort into the net giving Smith no chance. McGhee tried to change the game by bringing Darren Smith on for O'Donnell but before Smith had time to work up a sweat Cregg ended the contest with Falkirk's third.
Murphy came on for Clarkson as we fought for the consolation. Had such urgency been apparent in the first half the outcome might have been different. Murphy had a cracking shot saved then Porter set up Smith but he swiped wide with the wrong foot. The bar saved us from further embarrassment in the dying minutes.
The final whistle came as a relief and we trudged into the winter gloom without our Christmas present. The team lost the sparkle which was so evident in the last five games. Let's hope Santa brings it back in time for the Boxing Day visit to Ibrox.