A goal either side of half-time was enough to give Airdrie all three points as they edged out Falkirk.
In an end-to-end encounter it was Falkirk who started more brightly and took the lead after seven minutes when Kevin Christie headed home.

Airdrie should have equalised after 24 minutes when a one-two between Anthony Smith and Owen Coyle put the striker through on goal, but his shot was well saved by Myles Hogarth.

The home side continued to press and they found an equaliser two minutes before the break when Neil McFarlane drilled home spectacularly from 30-yards.

Buoyed by that strike, the Diamonds came out brightly after the break and it was not long before they were rewarded for their pressure when Lee Gardener's cross was headed home by Coyle.

Substitute Robert Dunn had a glorious chance to kill off the match with little over a quarter of an hour remaining but his effort flew inches wide.

Airdrie: Ferguson, Armstrong, McPherson, Stewart, McManus, James, Gardner, MacFarlane, Coyle, Roberts, Smith

Subs: Beesley, McDonald, Taylor, Dunn, Bennett