Phil O'Donnell celebrated his promotion to Motherwell captain with a wonder goal to earn them a draw at nervy Falkirk.

The Bairns edged a step closer to securing their Bank of Scotland Premier League status after Alan Gow had headed them into a half-time lead.

But O'Donnell, who replaced Scott Leitch as club captain following his appointment as Ross County manager, hit a stunning strike to keep Motherwell in the hunt for seventh place in the table.

Falkirk boss John Hughes made just one change from the team which drew with Dunfermline with Mark Twaddle replacing Jean Lecsinel.

Terry Butcher blew a fuse after his side lost to seventh-place Inverness Caledonian Thistle so in came Brian Kerr, Kevin McBride and David Clarkson for Jim Paterson, Scott McDonald and Alan McCormack.

Falkirk started the brighter but they put themselves in some danger in the sixth minute after Tiago Rodrigues had fouled Clarkson.

Steven Hammell stepped up and curled a left-foot free-kick just past the angle of the crossbar and post from 24 yards out.

Falkirk continued to knock the ball around well in the swirling wind and Hammell was needed to do some important defensive work in the ninth minute when he threw himself in front of Jack Ross' strike.

But Falkirk would have taken the lead in the 13th minute had it not been for the efforts of Motherwell goalkeeper Graeme Smith.

Daniel McBreen got behind the visiting defence and drilled a low shot towards the far corner of the net from 12 yards out on the left side of the box but Smith dive to his left to make a good save.

But Motherwell failed to heed that warning and Falkirk forced themselves ahead just three minutes later.

Martyn Corrigan fouled Liam Craig close to the left touchline and Gow rose above the Motherwell defence to send a looping header, from Patrick Cregg's free-kick, over Smith and into the net.

Referee Mike McCurry stepped into the match in the 22nd minute to book Steven Thomson for a late challenge on Hammell.

Motherwell looked to be playing out time after failing to secure a place in the top half of the table.

Hamilton tried to revive his team-mates in the 32nd minute but his deflected left-foot shot bounced harmlessly to Howard.

Richie Foran also attempted to bring those around him to life but he fired his right-foot volley high over the top from 22 yards.

Cregg went into the book for a thumping challenge on Foran and Hammell quickly followed for venting his anger at the Falkirk man.

As Motherwell waited for the free-kick Foran and Karl Dodd tangled and were also shown yellow cards before the cross came to nothing.

McLean breathed a sigh of relief less than a minute into the second half when he blasted Liam Craig's cross just over his own crossbar.

Kerr then brought Cregg down and the Falkirk man, wide of the box and nine yards from the goalline, still had the audacity to try to score from the free-kick which curled just over the crossbar.

But the nerves started to set in among the home players and they were punished emphatically by O'Donnell in the 59th minute.

McBride superbly nutmegged Twaddle and then fired the ball across the face of goal.

The ball seemed to be flying to safety but it came to O'Donnell, who struck a sweet first-time right-foot shot past Howard and into the far corner of the net from just inside the angle of the penalty box.

Craigan was shown a yellow card in the 66th minute for clattering Twaddle before Paterson came on for McBride.

Motherwell grew in confidence and they threw everything at the home side.

Dodd blocked Clarkson's effort before Ross charged down Paterson's strike.

Falkirk had the ball in the net in the 86th minute but were denied by the referee, who adjudged Smith had been fouled by Twaddle.

Vitor Lima could have won the game for Falkirk in injury time but he blazed wide from the edge of the box.

Teams:

Falkirk Howard, Ross, Twaddle, Milne, Dodds, Rodrigues, Cregg,Craig (O'Donnell 90), Thomson (Lima 80), Gow,McBreen (Moutinho 80).

Subs Not Used: Ferguson, Lawrie, Scally, Barr.

Booked: Thomson, Cregg, Dodds, Craig.

Goals: Gow 16.

Motherwell Graeme Smith, Corrigan, Hammell, McLean, Craigan,Kerr, O'Donnell, McBride (Paterson 67), Hamilton (McDonald 80),Clarkson (McGarry 90), Foran.

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Paul Quinn, Reynolds, Fitzpatrick.

Booked: Hammell, Foran, Craigan.

Goals: O'Donnell 58.

Att: 4,467

Ref: M McCurry (Scotland).