Falkirk 3-0 Montrose: Bairns on easy street as they move 14 points clear at top of League One

The Bairns night got off to the perfect start after just five minutes when Ethan Ross – who was one of three changes from last Saturday’s 3-2 win over Hamilton Accies – saw his dangerous cross spectacularly turned into his own net by Matheus Machado.

Stewart’s Petrie’s side, who are pushing for a promotion play-off spot, then went close to a leveller when Dundee loanee Luke Graham drove forward and found Blair Lyons out wide, with the winger sending an effort on the angle just past the far post.

It should have been two for Falkirk soon after when defender Graham slipped, allowing Ryan Shanley to go through one-on-one with Cammy Gill, but his effort was easily pushed wide by the goalkeeper.

After 20 minutes, the hosts did eventually double their advantage after a neat move cut open the Montrose backline. The overlapping Sean Mackie sent in a low cross and Aidan Nesbitt was on hand to slam home at the near post to all but seal the three points.

The remainder of the first half was a dull affair, with Falkirk going close on two more occasions, firstly when Callumn Morrison blasted over after Liam Henderson’s neat flick while Ross saw a side-footed shot just miss the target.

After the break, striker Shanley thought he had made it three after he fired home at the near post from Henderson’s pass, but he was adjudged to have been in an offside position.

And his replacement in attack Ross MacIver passed up a great chance just after the hour mark when he opted to go for goal when a pass in-field was clearly the better option.

Montrose did go close to getting themselves back into the tie when Lyon’s overhead kick in the box was expertly tipped wide by Nicky Hogarth.

John McGlynn’s side nearly rounded off the scoring themselves with seven minutes remaining when a Calvin Miller corner was met by Tom Lang, but his header crashed off the bar. Substitute Miller also saw a one-on-one well saved by Gill late on.

And they did get a third during injury-time when substitute Gary Oliver curled home after the Bairns broke up the park on the counter attack to seal the three points.

Falkirk now travel to Fife to take on sixth-placed Kelty Hearts this Saturday afternoon, with kick-off in that match at 3pm.

Teams

Falkirk: Hogarth, Yeats, Donaldson, Lang, Mackie, Henderson, Spencer, Nesbitt (20’), Ross, Morrison, Shanley.

Subs: Long, McCann, McGinn, Bisland, Oliver, Tait, Agyeman, Miller, MacIver.

Montrose: Gill, Stevens, Quinn, Webster, Hester, Lyons, Shrive, Graham, Craig, Brown, Machado (5’ OG).

Subs: Matthews, Watson, Gardyne, Dillon, Batchelor, Callaghan.

Referee: Iain Snedden.

Attendance: 4,197.