Dundee United continued to build momentum for the promotion play-offs with a comfortable victory over relegation-threatened Falkirk at Tannadice.
The Tangerines have now won three games in a row and this result was really never in doubt after they established a two-goal first-half lead.
The Bairns did make a better fist of things in the second 45 but despite a couple of scares, the home side saw out the game.
Tangerines boss Robbie Neilson made three changes from the team that beat Inverness last week with Rachid Bouhenna, Osman Sow and Callum Booth coming into the starting line-up with Nicky Clark dropping to the bench while Peter Pawlett and Mark Connolly were absent from the squad altogether.
Former United manager and current Bairns boss Ray McKinnon included ex-Tannadice favourite Paul Dixon in his team.
And it was the Falkirk defender who made an error that presented United with their first opportunity of the match in the sixth minute with Ian Harkes teeing up Sow but his curling shot from the edge of the box was turned away acrobatically by Bairns keeper Harry Burgoyne for a corner.
The goalie then made another good save, tipping a deflected Mark Reynolds’ header over his bar.
However, Burgoyne was helpless to prevent the home side taking the lead in the 15th minute.
Paul McMullan swung a corner in from the right with Bouhenna directing a powerful header past the keeper and into the back of the net from six yards.
United were well on top and were peppering the Falkirk goal and it was no surprise when they doubled their advantage in the 25th minute.
Pavol Safranko laid the ball on a plate with a cutback from the left of the Falkirk box into the path of McMullan who gleefully shot low into the corner of Burgoyne’s net.
The home side really should have made it three when Burgoyne could only parry away a Calum Butcher shot but McMullan sent his header over the bar.
United did have a big scare in the 38th minute when Jordan McGhee hit keeper Benjamin Siegrist’s post with a header, however, Neilson’s men deservedly went in at half-time still 2-0 in front.
Falkirk had the first opportunity of the second 45 when Davis Keillor-Dunn made space for himself in the United box but Siegrist dived low to his right to keep out his shot.
The home side had a good chance of their own in the 65th minute but sub Clark hooked his effort just wide.
Deep in stoppage time Falkirk’s Zak Rudden had the ball in the back of the net but the “goal” was chalked off for offside.
