Airdrieonians 1-3 Falkirk: Kai Kennedy's second-half double seals crucial victory for Bairns

A double from Rangers loanee Kai Kennedy and a Gary Oliver header sealed the victory that also sent the Bairns nine points ahead of third-placed Edinburgh.

Calum Gallagher sent the home side ahead after ten minutes with a deft chipped effort sailing over debutant Brian Kinnear, who had pushed way out of his goal to try and clear the ball.

And it could have been two soon after when former Falkirk man Charlie Telfer saw an effort well blocked by Sean Mackie, who managed to get back just in time to divert the ball wide.

Rhys McCabe’s side looked no better than the Bairns at this point – but they were creating much more in front of goal.

Gabby McGill was next to test Kinnear in net, breaking free of Coll Donaldson and firing an effort in his gracious hands.

After a below-par opening half an hour, Falkirk finally found a way to unsettle the Airdrie backline, with Mackie’s smart through ball finding Liam Henderson.

The midfielder turned in the box and scuffed his shot, which agonisingly curled by the far post.

However, McGlynn’s men finally looked like they had found their shooting boots and they began to push the Airdrie defence back further and further.

A goalmouth scramble should have ended with a Falkirk goal, but Oliver couldn’t get the ball over the line.

Finally, with two minutes to go before half time, the equaliser came.

Oliver this time around finished expertly in front of goal, heading home Callumn Morrison's pinpoint cross.

And just before the break, the key moment of the match came when Cammy Ballantyne won the home side a penalty kick.

Leon McCann was slow to react and clipped the onrushing defender, giving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.

Telfer stepped up and could only fire a tame effort down the middle of the goal line, that was kicked away by Kinnear.

In the second half, Falkirk dominated proceedings, going on to put in what was one of their best 45 minute showings under McGlynn.

The away side could have had a penalty themselves when a high ball looked to hit off an Airdrie hand, but nothing was given on 48 minutes.

And three minutes later, Kai Kennedy's flicked effort at near post from Morrison’s cross gave the Bairns the lead.

The tricky winger then grabbed another goal twenty minutes later, finding the back of the net in a crowded box.

Donaldson’s forward run caused the Airdrie defence all sorts of problems and after a period of pressure, Oliver calmly passed across to Kennedy to fire home.

Morrison and substitute Matthew Wright could have added to the Bairns healthy lead, but they both just missed the target with efforts later on the match.

In the end, it was an utterly convincing victory for Falkirk, who are now 11 matches unbeaten on league duty.