Callum Smith hit a deadly double for the second game running as Airdrieonians kept up the pressure on League One leaders Cove Rangers with a fine win at Falkirk.
The Diamonds made it 13 games unbeaten in the division with a 4-1 victory at the Falkirk Stadium thanks to a goal in each half from the in-form striker, a Calum Gallagher header and a strike from Hearts loanee Scott McGill. Former Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths notched a consolation for Falkirk.
Following two goals at Alloa last week, Smith bagged a brace again to make it five goals in five outings, taking him to 13 goals for the season, before his strike partner made sure of the win 15 minutes from time.
The result inflicted a first home defeat of 2022 on the Bairns and kept second-place Airdrie within five points of Cove at the summit going into the final seven games of the campaign.
Ian Murray named the same side which beat Alloa last week, with Calum Gallagher and Callum Smith leading the line.
There were two changes for the hosts as boss Martin Rennie brought in Jaze Kabia and Aidan Nesbitt for Anton Dowds and Gary Miller who played in last week's 1-1 draw with Clyde.
Falkirk enjoyed a lot of possession in the opening minutes but, with their first real attack of the match, Airdrie broke the deadlock after just seven minutes. Smith collected possession and weaved his way past a few Falkirk defenders on the edge of the box before finding the bottom corner with low drive.
It was almost 2-0 moments later when Robbie Mutch did well to palm a wayward defensive header clear of the target, then get down well to hold Gabby McGill's close range header.
Airdrie were turning on the style and confident on the ball with Easton pulling off a Cruyff turn and Frizzell performing a pirouette in keeping hold of possession, much to the delight of the travelling support.
The Diamonds' crisp passing has been a feature of the success this season and they had the Bairns toiling at times.
On the half hour mark the visitors were screaming for a penalty when Leon McCann and Gabby McGill got caught in a tangle as the latter looked to get in on goal. It had boss Murray bouncing out of his dugout in protest but referee Lloyd Wilson wasn't interested.
Down the other end Falkirk came close to an equaliser, but it wasn't of their doing. A poor delivery into the boss bounced up for captain Callum Fordyce to nod back to goalkeeper Max Currie, but the defender got a little too much purchase on his header and Currie had to be at full stretch to prevent the ball going into his own net.
Calum Gallagher and Smith combined in the 36th minute and it almost brought Airdrie's second, however Mutch got down well to his right to claw Smith's strike away from the far corner to keep the score at 0-1.
Charlie Telfer's bullet header from McCann's cross was superbly saved by Currie as Falkirk threatened an equaliser just before the break. A period of pressure also saw strikes from Griffiths and Nesbitt blocked, with the Diamonds surviving a testing time at the end of the half.
Five minutes into the second half Currie pulled off a tremendous fingertip save to deny Kabia as his header flew towards the bottom corner.
On the hour mark Ryan Williamson's heavy pass back had to been stopped by goalkeeper Mutch with his hands to prevent a certain goal for Airdrie, handing them an indirect free-kick six-yards from goal. McCabe and Scott Agnew combined at close range and McCabe's attempt to find the top corner saw him curl the ball a whisker over the crossbar.
Just seconds later, though, Airdrie did find the decisive second goal. Easton robbed McCann of possession in midfield and then slipped in Smith to cooly slot the ball under the on-rushing Mutch.
It was 3-0 in 75 minutes when Gallagher got to the front post to head home Craig Watson's cross beyond Mutch.
But Falkirk weren't giving up and managed to pull a goal back almost instantly. They raced upfield from the kick-off and Griffiths managed to get on the end of Williamson's cross head the ball beyond Currie.
Any glimmer of a comeback was extinguished seven minutes from time when Scott McGill rifled a low strike past Mutch from Fordyce's assist, sparking chants of "easy, easy" from the away section.
The Diamonds are back in action next Saturday when they host promotion-chasing Queen's Park.
FALKIRK: Mutch, Mills, Watson, McKay, McCann, Telfer, Williamson, Kabia, Nesbitt (Ross 80), McGuffie, Griffiths (Hetherington 80).
Scorers: Griffiths 76
Bookings: Watson, Kabia, McKay
Subs not used: Holt, Dixon, Miller, Morrison, Wilson, Jacobs, Lemon.
AIRDRIEONIANS: Currie, Paterson, Fordyce, McCabe, Agnew (Kerr 90), Gallagher (Allan 86), Easton, Smith (Afolabi 90), Watson, Frizzell (Walker 90), G McGill (S McGill 72).
Scorers: Smith 7, 61, Gallagher 74, McGill 83
Bookings: Easton
Subs not used: Cantley, Ritchie, McDonald, Devenny.
Ref: Lloyd Wilson
HT: 0-1
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