HIBERNIAN were booed off by the majority of the 1,800 travelling fans at Falkirk after Aidan Nesbitt scored the only goal to hand victory to the League One side.
Nesbitt headed home what turned out to be the decisive effort in the 39th minute when the forward connected with Leon McCann’s teasing delivery.
Despite improving after the interval, Hibs were made to pay for an insipid first half in which they failed to test goalkeeper PJ Morrison.
Falkirk set the tone for an impressive performance early on when Callumn Morrison flashed a shot wide.
Another chance came and went when Nesbitt shot wide of the gaping goal after Hibs goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski and Kyle McClelland were caught dithering by Steven Hetherington.
Falkirk playmaker Craig McGuffiue then had a shot saved by Dabrowski before the Bairns deservedly went ahead in the 39th minute, Nesbitt glancing Leon McCann’s delivery into the far corner.
Hibs manager Lee Johnson made four changes at the break, bringing on Elias Melkerson, Ewan Henderson, Chris Cadden and Ryan Porteous - and the visitors began to show some urgency.
Henderson could count himself unfortunate not to score. The former Celtic trainee had one effort cleared off the line by Finn Yeats, while another was tipped onto the bar by PJ Morrison.
Hibs defender Rocky Bushiri had his blushes spared by the offside flag after his attempted clearance cannoned off Callumn Morrison to leave Nesbitt with a tap in.
There was more defensive concern for Hibs when a Porteous slip gave Gary Oliver a run at goal but the centre-half recovered to mop up.
Hibs knew it was not going to be their night when Melkersen’s header from close range came back off the post.
Deep into injury-time Falkirk defender Brad McKay then cleared a Christian Doidge effort off the line as the Bairns climbed to the top of Group D.
