Motherwell remain third in the Scottish Premiership despite being blighted by a lack of cutting edge during a scrappy goalless draw at Falkirk.

Jens Berthel Askou's side struck a post and spurned a huge chance through Tawanda Maswanhise, but failed to convert their typical possession play into goals.

Both sides returned an expected goals (xG) of 0.5 or lower, with John McGlynn's team not ever really testing Calum Ward in goal.

Thanks to Rangers' late draw at Tannadice, Motherwell stay level on points with the Ibrox side but ahead on goal difference while sitting nine points behind Celtic and Hearts.

Falkirk remain in sixth, now level on points with Hibernian.

It really was a frustrating game of "what ifs" for both sides, especially given the paltry amount of chances which were cleaved out.

Alfredo Agyeman had both of Falkirk's best chances which came in the first half. One he dragged wide when he should have done better, the other was deflected just away from goal by a scrambling Emmanuel Longelo.

The Motherwell left-back went close himself before the break after ghosting into the box and cracking a low shot off Scott Bain's near post from a tight angle.

Just moments after the restart Maswanhise latched on to a duffed headed clearance, flicked the ball on to his left, but somehow failed to produce a shot convincing enough to beat Bain.

Brad Spencer attempted a Kenny McLean at the other with a quick 50-yard effort, but it drifted by on a frustrating night.

It was one of those games where both teams will feel they could have won it when neither probably deserved it.

Falkirk started and ended the game the better. McGlynn made five changes from the side which held Rangers at the weekend, but you wouldn't have known it. They had Motherwell on the back foot, and on a different night could have been a couple of goals up early on.

Falkirk remain to make steady progress. They've now only lost one game in their last nine, and that was at Celtic Park.

On this occasion, they faced one of the most free-flowing sides in the Premiership and heavily restricted them. There's a lot to admire about McGlynn's team, and there longevity this season will be the key question as we move towards the half-way point.

For Motherwell, supporters will clearly be delighted at being third in the league at this stage. Yet, there will be a lingering frustration.

There have been so many occasions this season where Askou's side have had a firm grip of a game without making it fully count. Rangers on the first day of the season. Kilmarnock at home. Hearts at Tynecastle and then at Fir Park. Even the first half against Falkirk last time.

Here, they overcame a troublesome start to finish the first half strongly and begin the second half in a similar fashion. But as the substitutes started to flow, the momentum drifted.

Motherwell looked a bit sloppy in patches, and Askou will be expecting them to sharpen up if their intricate style of play isn't going to play them into trouble.

But still, that's now seven games without defeat for Motherwell, who will still be looking up rather than down.

Falkirk manager John McGlynn: "I think it was a tactical battle.

"We tried to cancel Motherwell out because they're a very good team, pass the ball well and have some great rotations and movements. You have to be so switched on.

"But we were very brave. We more or less went man for man all over the place."

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou: "I think Falkirk defended really well and made it really hard for us to get control of the game in the final third.

"We didn't do enough in the first half to create the big moments we needed.

"The way we came out in the second half was a lot better, invested more, had our moments and didn't take them. There were fewer and fewer of them as the game went on."

Falkirk go to face Hibs at Easter Road on Saturday (15:00 GMT), while Askou's Motherwell welcome Livingston to Fir Park (15:00).