Callum Smith hit a lethal double for the second recreation operating as Airdrieonians saved up the stress on League One leaders Cove Rangers with a high-quality win at Falkirk.
The Diamonds made it 13 video games unbeaten within the division with a 4-1 victory on the Falkirk Stadium because of a objective in every half from the in-form striker, a Calum Gallagher header and a strike from Hearts loanee Scott McGill. Former Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths notched a comfort for Falkirk.
Following two objectives at Alloa final week, Smith bagged a brace once more to make it 5 objectives in 5 outings, taking him to 13 objectives for the season, earlier than his strike accomplice made certain of the win quarter-hour from time.
The consequence inflicted a primary dwelling defeat of 2022 on the Bairns and saved second-place Airdrie inside 5 factors of Cove on the summit going into the ultimate seven video games of the marketing campaign.
Ian Murray named the identical aspect which beat Alloa final week, with Calum Gallagher and Callum Smith main the road.
There have been two modifications for the hosts as boss Martin Rennie introduced in Jaze Kabia and Aidan Nesbitt for Anton Dowds and Gary Miller who performed in final week's 1-1 draw with Clyde.
Falkirk loved quite a lot of possession within the opening minutes however, with their first actual assault of the match, Airdrie broke the impasse after simply seven minutes. Smith collected possession and weaved his well beyond a couple of Falkirk defenders on the sting of the field earlier than discovering the underside nook with low drive.
It was nearly 2-0 moments later when Robbie Mutch did nicely to palm a wayward defensive header away from the goal, then get down nicely to carry Gabby McGill's shut vary header.
Airdrie have been turning on the fashion and assured on the ball with Easton pulling off a Cruyff flip and Frizzell performing a pirouette in retaining maintain of possession, a lot to the delight of the travelling help.
The Diamonds' crisp passing has been a characteristic of the success this season and so they had the Bairns toiling at instances.
On the half hour mark the guests have been screaming for a penalty when Leon McCann and Gabby McGill acquired caught in a tangle because the latter regarded to get in on objective. It had boss Murray bouncing out of his dugout in protest however referee Lloyd Wilson wasn't .
Down the opposite finish Falkirk got here near an equaliser, nevertheless it wasn't of their doing. A poor supply into the boss bounced up for captain Callum Fordyce to nod again to goalkeeper Max Currie, however the defender acquired just a little an excessive amount of buy on his header and Currie needed to be at full stretch to stop the ball going into his personal internet.
Calum Gallagher and Smith mixed within the thirty sixth minute and it nearly introduced Airdrie's second, nevertheless Mutch acquired down nicely to his proper to claw Smith's strike away from the far nook to maintain the rating at 0-1.
Charlie Telfer's bullet header from McCann's cross was fantastically saved by Currie as Falkirk threatened an equaliser simply earlier than the break. A interval of stress additionally noticed strikes from Griffiths and Nesbitt blocked, with the Diamonds surviving a testing time on the finish of the half.
5 minutes into the second half Currie pulled off an incredible fingertip save to disclaim Kabia as his header flew in direction of the underside nook.
On the hour mark Ryan Williamson's heavy go again needed to been stopped by goalkeeper Mutch along with his arms to stop a sure objective for Airdrie, handing them an oblique free-kick six-yards from objective. McCabe and Scott Agnew mixed at shut vary and McCabe's try to search out the highest nook noticed him curl the ball a whisker over the crossbar.
Simply seconds later, although, Airdrie did discover the decisive second objective. Easton robbed McCann of possession in midfield after which slipped in Smith to cooly slot the ball underneath the on-rushing Mutch.
It was 3-0 in 75 minutes when Gallagher acquired to the entrance submit to go dwelling Craig Watson's cross past Mutch.
However Falkirk weren't giving up and managed to drag a objective again nearly immediately. They raced upfield from the kick-off and Griffiths managed to get on the top of Williamson's cross head the ball past Currie.
Any glimmer of a comeback was extinguished seven minutes from time when Scott McGill rifled a low strike previous Mutch from Fordyce's help, sparking chants of "simple, simple" from the away part.
The Diamonds are again in motion subsequent Saturday once they host promotion-chasing Queen's Park.
FALKIRK: Mutch, Mills, Watson, McKay, McCann, Telfer, Williamson, Kabia, Nesbitt (Ross 80), McGuffie, Griffiths (Hetherington 80).
Scorers: Griffiths 76
Bookings: Watson, Kabia, McKay
Subs not used: Holt, Dixon, Miller, Morrison, Wilson, Jacobs, Lemon.
AIRDRIEONIANS: Currie, Paterson, Fordyce, McCabe, Agnew (Kerr 90), Gallagher (Allan 86), Easton, Smith (Afolabi 90), Watson, Frizzell (Walker 90), G McGill (S McGill 72).
Scorers: Smith 7, 61, Gallagher 74, McGill 83
Bookings: Easton
Subs not used: Cantley, Ritchie, McDonald, Devenny.
Ref: Lloyd Wilson
HT: 0-1
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