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Alloa were made to rue missed chances as they failed to make the first half dominance count.

Falkirk carved the first opening as Anton Dowds was released by Telfer and he smashed low at goal but Hutton was quick and managed a strong hand before collecting.

After a quarter of an hour it was Conor Sammon, who almost made it two in three appearances against his former club but his neat outside of the foot flick rolled wide after a lovely ball in by Scott Taggart.

Henderson was next to ask the question of Mutch as he made a typical off the shoulder run in behind the Falkirk defence and saw his snapshot from outside the saved from just inside the box.

Blaise Riley-Snow almost opened another glorious opportunity for Sammon as he launched a trademarked 40 yard pass into the box, but Sammon who’d expertly peeled away could only tamely flick it in to the Falkirk keepers waiting arms.

Steven Boyd tried his arm from range as he sent a free-kick narrowly wide and minutes later the diminutive forward should have tested the keeper as he chested down a deep ball from left-back Church, and blazed a shot into the side netting with only the keeper to beat.

Falkirk were playing themselves into all kinds of trouble as Mouhamed ‘Sena’ Niang and Steven Boyd pressed into the Falkirk box and the Senegalese midfielder drilled a low effort that Mutch had to be smart to save.

In the second half Henderson almost launched a rocket from 35 yards but it ended narrowly wide but soon Falkirk would take control of the game.

After a patient buildup, McGuffie squared to Jaze Kabia and from the edge of the box curled a beauty into the bottom corner. The visitors were ahead in the 50th minute.

On the 58th minute, Falkirk won a free-kick from 20 yards out and McGuffie expertly directed it into the bottom corner round the wall to beat Hutton.

Twelve minutes from time Paul Watson, ever the threat in the air beat Durnan to the header, beat the keeper but smacked post and bar, but Anton Dowds was there on the line to poach the rebound and give Falkirk the unassailable lead.

Despite Alloa bringing on Kevin Cawley for a 400th appearance chances were at a premium for the Wasps, and it was the marquee signing, Leigh Griffiths who was guilty of passing up the opportunities. A neat move ended in a skied attempt over the bar and when lined up for a trademark free kick from 30 yards sent it narrowly wide for a Bairns win.