LISTEN: Bosses reflect on Falkirk's win over QoS

What frustrates the manager though, after a dominant performance in Dumfries, is the Bairns’ points tally.

Draws may come back to haunt the Bairns if Dundee United and Morton can capitalise on their games in hand. But until then, the Bairns are sitting pretty in the SPFL Championship having set the tone for the rest of the season.

“That’s the first time we’ve beaten Queens in the league here. We won in the Scottish Cup but Palmerston’s always difficult. They were looking to cut the pointage down to five so it was very very important for us to take a result to keep them away from us. It was our cup final in many ways.

“What frustrates me is that we could be closer to Hibs.”

Victory sealed an unbeaten league run for Falkirk stretching back to the start of January, with only one defeat this ‘quarter’ to Hibs on Hogmanay.

Houston added: “It’s been a good quarter for us, 19 or 20 points, which is good and we’re still unbeaten this year. But there are a couple of draws which I feel if we had converted into win which we could have and should have then we would be in a healthier position.

“I thought we were poor against Dumbarton last week but we got everything today.

“We will always look below us, but we’re in a decent position and where we should be, in my opinion.

“We’ve moved into second but the teams below us have games in hand.”

However though he was pleased, and conceded the victory was a cup final for his team, the job is not yet done for the Bairns boss, though from the outside looking in Falkirk appear all but certain to be involved in the post-season Premiership play-offs again.

“The most important thing for us was to make sure we were a play-off side at least, and we’re on target for that.

“I’d never disrespect anyone to say [we were there]. I’d never take anything for granted.”