Falkirk 1 Airdrie 2: Stats don't lie as Diamonds take points and knock Bairns off the top with late Gallagher header

A late header from Calum Gallagher gave the Diamonds a late win, in a game they had previously led before Declan McManus cancelled out Paul McKay's first-half header.

Trailing at the break three times in the last 20 games according to statistics on www.falkirkherald.co.uk, the Bairns have never been able to take anything from that position.

McManus' goal - where he steered Gregor Buchanan's goalbound header over the line just as he had against Dumbarton earlier this season - looked to have salvaged a point for the Bairns after a disjointed performance where the Bairns looked threatening in spells but unable to combat Airdrie's disruption.

The first half was spent largely with the Bairns on the attack but the final pass just didn't quite make it early on for David McMillan or Declan McManus. The former Aberdeen striker looked like he had his groove back, and gave the Airdrie left-back, and then right-back a torrid time in the first half before fading in the second despite his goal.

But for all their spritely attacks early on, the Bairns went in behind though could have had a penalty as Louis Longridge, another who started brightly rode several challenges dancing into the penalty area and his cross struck Sean Crighton on the arm but half-hearted pleas were dismissed by Stevie Kirkland.

The goal came on the half-hour after Falkirk had done pretty much everything but score. Mark Durnan went close to a second in two games, then Hutton denied the Mac-duo in attack.

But after Michael Tidser received treatement to his left leg and the players headed to the dugouts for water and instruction, the Diamonds took the lead through former Falkirk trialist Paul McKay's header which left Robbie Mutch rooted to the spot.

The goalkeeper had been drafted in to replace Cammy Bell just a few minutes into the warm-up and had no chance with either goal and made two vital stops, one in each half.

He pushed over a Kurtis Roberts free-kick that was bound for the top corner after 40 minutes and the Bairns went in behind - a position they have taken no points from over the last 20 games.

They had chances to overturn the statistics but were hit by Gallagher's late sucker punch - and they were well warned too.

Tidser was replaced at the interval by Aidan Connolly and Ray McKinnon later replaced McMillan with Connor Sammon and Mark Durnan saw a header cleared off the line as the Bairns pressed for the equaliser.

And when it came it had all the hallmarks of one we'd seen before. A Buchanan header - with the captain still the Bairns' biggest aerial threat and still without a goal - was heading in and McManus made sure like the predatory striker he is for his eighth goal of the season.

It energized the Falkirk Stadium but it was short-lived. Robbie Mutch made a great save to deny Gallagher in a carbon copy of the winner that was to come, before Sammon's close-range miss when he steered a low cross from Ian McShane wide in the best chance of the second half, outwith McManus' goal.

But then another long throw pitched into the box fell into a spare man and Gallagher made no mistake to knock the ball into the net in front of the away fans to send them wild and leave Ray McKinnon pondering what might have been after a "criminal and unprofessional" performance that sent the Bairns fourth.