INVERNESS CT 2 WALSH (5), OAKLEY (61) FALKIRK 3 RUDDEN (15, 36), HARISON (90)

They say all good things must come to an end, but this was surely not the manner in which Caley Thistle envisaged witnessing their 25-match league unbeaten record come crashing down.

A defence lauded for solidity made basic errors for each of the three goals conceded to a Falkirk side all too ready to gleefully capitalise.

It was a landmark day for both clubs, then, with the Bairns rising off bottom place for the first time this season.

Ray McKinnon, the Falkirk manager, declared his team’s revival up-andrunning after Scott Harrison’s dramatic last-gasp winner.

“It is always a good feeling to score the winning goal in the very dying seconds of the game,” McKinnon said.

“The guys are buying into how we play and working extremely hard. I know it has taken us a while to get to this standard, but I’m delighted.”

With only five minutes gone, Liam Polworth’s superb pass sent Tom Walsh racing into the penalty area and he executed the crispest of low finishes to send the hosts ahead.

Ten minutes later, home keeper Mark Ridgers was picking the equaliser out of his net.

Deimantas Petravicius seemed to be posing only mild danger on the far right of the penalty box.

But when the Lithuanian whipped a long ball across into the penalty area he found young Rudden unmarked to beat a hesitant Ridgers with a solid header.

Again, after 36 minutes, home attacking momentum was punctured by alarming defensive slackness.

A punt found Rudden controlling sweetly on the left as he turned inside Shaun Rooney and struck hard through Ridgers’ grasp from the angle.

But the hosts were level after 61 minutes when defender Rooney thumped a strong header goalward.

The alert Oakley managed the slightest of head-flicks on it to nestle the ball in the far corner of the net.

Just when it seemed Inverness were heading for a 26th game unbeaten in the league, Paul Paton’s long free-kick spun across a crowded six-yard box.

Scott Harrison was at the back post to apply the touch for a sensational winner.