Daniel McBreen saved Falkirk's blushes in the Tennent's Scottish Cup fourth round against Ross County at the Falkirk Stadium.

The Australian striker scored from close range for the SPL side in the 79th minute to cancel out Don Cowie's first-half strike for the First Division outfit.

The Bairns - who have yet to win in the league at home this season - will now travel north to Dingwall for the replay to decide who reaches the last eight of the cup.

County caretaker manager Gardner Spiers drafted Neil McDonald into his defence after David Cowan was ruled out with a calf injury.

Bairns boss John Hughes fielded the same team which defeated Livingston last weekend, with the only change to the squad the return of striker Alan Gow to the bench.

And the home side were quickly into their stride as Pedro Moutinho was slipped through by Stephen Thomson in the third minute, only for County keeper Stuart Garden to block the striker's flicked effort.

But the Victoria Park outfit, who thrashed Forfar 5-0 in the last round, went into the game on the back of an unbeaten six-match league and cup run and were not overawed by the SPL side's fast start.

Sean Higgins - who passed a late fitness test on his groin strain - and Alex Burke showed enough lively movement in the first 10 minutes to suggest the home defence would have to be sharp to contain them.

Indeed, a slip from skipper Craig Ireland on the edge of his box allowed Burke to tee Higgins up and his 20-yard drive whistled just over.

The Bairns failed to heed this threat though and two minutes later the visitors took the lead when midfielder Cowie latched onto a Higgins pass to calmly side-foot past Allan Ferguson.

Not surprisingly Hughes' side immediately poured forward in search of a quick reply and Moutinho spurned another half chance when he volleyed high over the bar from 10 yards out.

Former Celtic defender Hughes was forced into a change in the 26th minute when Stephen O'Donnell limped off to be replaced by Liam Craig - just seconds after being booked for a crude tackle on Burke.

The Bairns - who struggled past Brechin at home in the last round - failed to exert any pressure on the County goal during the subsequent 10 minutes.

Then veteran schemer Russell Latapy teed up McBreen eight yards out but the striker pulled his shot wide.

The game was proving considerably more difficult for the home side than the clubs' only previous meeting in the cup, which came in 1975 and resulted in a 5-1 stroll for the Bairns.

Falkirk started the second period much more brightly than they had finished the first though, and three minutes into the half McBreen swivelled brilliantly on the edge of the box and lashed a superb volley off the bar with Garden rooted to the spot.

Four minutes later County midfielder John Rankin, who interested Inverness Caley Thistle during the transfer window, burst forward from the centre of the pitch and thundered a fine strike onto Ferguson's right-hand post.

The start of the new half was generally Falkirk's though and Kenny Milne's header was well saved by Garden with Moutinho waiting to pounce on any mistake.

The Portuguese striker then wasted a marvellous chance to equalise a minute later when he headed over from just four yards out.

County remained a threat on the break however and when the ball deflected into Higgins' path in the 67th minute he was unlucky to see his clever lob land on top, rather than in, the net.

In a bid to spark an equaliser Gow was introduced with 17 minutes remaining with defender Ireland making way in a highly offensive switch.

It failed to make an immediate difference and indeed Burke went close to extending his side's lead with a fine drive on 77 which flew narrowly past the post.

But two minutes later the home side finally got the equaliser when McBreen tucked the ball home from close range after his initial effort was saved by Garden.