Two own goals helped Falkirk climb to seventh in the Scottish Premiership table with a dominant 3-0 victory over Kilmarnock.
Visiting centre-backs Cathal McCarthy and George Stanger converted past Calum Ferrie either side of a Jacob Murrell header.
Following a tough start to the campaign, John McGlynn’s men have lost just one of their last six games.
It was clear from an early stage that the side who coped best amid torrid conditions would prosper.
That team was emphatically Falkirk, with focal point forward Murrell netting his fifth league goal of the season.
Neither side gained a level of control over the ball, never mind the game as a whole, for much of the first half but the Bairns adapted better.
A wild wind was firmly against the visitors in that 45, making for a fraught opening spell.
Leon McCann’s deep cross was blown towards the top corner, forcing Ferrie into emergency action to tip the ball over the crossbar.
The Kilmarnock goalkeeper’s kicks barely made it 35 yards.
Owen Eames skewed wide with the first decent chance as Falkirk began to stretch the game midway through the half.
They opened Killie up down the right to seize a 29th-minute lead. Ethan Ross conjured a terrific deep delivery to pick out Murrell at the back post.
The American did not muster much power behind his header and it looked bound for Ferrie’s arms. However, on-loan Hull defender McCarthy needlessly thrust out a knee to connect and beat his own keeper.
Kilmarnock came within inches of a swift reply when a Tom Lowery cross was diverted onto the bar and went over.
Falkirk remained well on top, however, and doubled the lead seven minutes before the break.
Ferrie batted away a Ross drive at his near post to concede a corner. Ryan Strain’s delivery found Murrell evading the attention of Erik Ring to flash a header off the underside of the bar and in.
Falkirk’s Jacob Murrell (C) celebrates with team mates after scoring to make it 2-0
Torrential rain added to the treacherous conditions as Falkirk rode out a period of early second-half pressure to take change once again.
Liam Henderson headed across goal from Brad Spencer’s cross. Murrell could not make a clean connection with the overhead attempt and Ferrie scooped up.
Within a minute of Neil McCann bringing on Mark O’Hara and Nicky Clescenco to provide a spark, all hope of a comeback was extinguished. Stanger’s attempted clearance of a Deniss Melniks header from a Falkirk free-kick gave Ferrie no chance.
The Killie keeper made fine stops from Eames and Murrell to keep the score down. And the visitors passed up their one chance for a consolation. With Scott Bain committed well out of his goal, Ieuan Owen missed the empty goal from 30 yards.
What the managers said…
Falkirk boss John McGlynn:
“We played the conditions – it’s what you have to do and we make no excuses for that.
“But there were a lot of really good individual performances in our team. Finley Barbrook was excellent in a different position. Big Deniss (Melniks) came into midfield and did so well and Jacob (Murrell) got another goal.
“Jacob is very confident now. Like everything else, you come from America and you’ve got to adjust.
“Loads of things are different, even driving on the other side of the road is something you’ve got to get used to.
“He’s living in Glasgow, he’s now settled down, he’s comfortable and his form is really, really good. A couple of goals last week, another one today.
“He takes the header really well. It’s a carbon copy of the goal he scored at Tannadice from a corner. From my point of view, long may that last.”
Kilmarnock manager Neil McCann:
“It’s just a horrible game of football. The conditions were absolutely terrible for both teams.
“But the bottom line is Falkirk did the ugly side of the game and the basics better to get the reward of three points. We, of course, wanted to get the ball on the deck.
“But today wasn’t about getting the ball on the deck.
“I said that to them before the game. It’s not, ‘forget everything we’ve worked on’ – it’s just playing the conditions.
“I’m fully aware of that. I’m an experienced guy in football. I understand that you can’t be a purist out there.”
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