Child’s play for Bairns

For Brechin City it must feel like it was forever thus, but for Falkirk the victory gave manager Paul Hartley reassurance his side’s resurgence remains on track.

Brechin remain 16 points adrift at the foot of the table, having failed to win a single league game this season, but they again gave manager Darren Dods absolutely everything, despite being thoroughly outplayed by the Bairns.

A 13th-minute opener from on-loan Watford striker Alex Jakubiak on his first start put the part-timers on the back foot and Rory Loy’s first goal of the season, on his 23rd appearance, ensured the home side would move six points clear of Dumbarton in second-bottom, albeit having played two more games.

There was a brief wobble when on-loan Livingston striker Dylan Mackin swept in a debut goal for Brechin midway through the second half, but the excellent Louis Longridge restored Falkirk’s two-goal advantage three minutes later to earn a sixth win from their last nine matches.

Brechin have accumulated just four points all season and that tally was never going to change as soon as Falkirk surged in front in just the 13th minute.

The home side won a corner when Longridge’s deflected drive was turned round the post by keeper Graeme Smith. The former Motherwell and Hibernian goalie then flapped at Craig Sibbald’s delivery and Jakubiak forced his volley over the line from two yards out.

Falkirk handed on-loan Celtic keeper Conor Hazard his debut and the Northern Irish youngster could not have hoped for a more relaxing evening.

Fifteen minutes later, the Bairns doubled their advantage when Longridge darted to the byline and took out Smith with his centre to give Loy the simplest of opportunities to break his frustrating duck from just six yards out.

Loy saw a shot saved by Smith and a Longridge drive drifted past the post before the interval allowed Brechin to regroup.

However, the succour provided by Mackin’s strike in the 67th minute was short-lived as Longridge drifted in from the right to spear a clinical finish beyond Smith and remove any doubt of the Bairns’ victory.