Falkirk 3-2 Queen of the South

Peter Grant got the opening goal for Falkirk

Falkirk beat Queen of the South to record their first home league win of the season.

It is also boss Paul Hartley's first win since taking over in October.

Peter Grant and Myles Hippolyte put Falkirk on their way before on-loan Louis Longridge curled in his first goal for the club.

Queens hit back through Stephen Dobbie's free-kick and Jason Kerr headed in off the post to set up a nervous finish.

Falkirk ended 2017 exactly the way they hope to continue in 2018 and it was Grant's first goal of the season that opened the scoring - an emphatic, stabbed finish high into the net from Craig Sibbald's corner.

Shaun Rooney's slice off his own post nearly put the Bairns further in front, before Hippolyte netted from close range for his sixth goal of the season. The striker later had to be taken off on a stretcher with a serious looking injury.

Falkirk had been having trouble hitting the back of the net so it was a real treat for the home fans when Longridge put them three ahead. Picking the ball up on the corner of the box, the on-loan Hamilton forward guided a wonderful finish past Alan Martin from 16 yards.

Dobbie, who scored his 100th Doonhamers goal last week, notched his 20th of the season with a perfect free-kick from 20 yards and the visitors pressed for more at the start of the second half.

Dobbie's drive was saved by Robbie Mutch and Queens wanted a penalty when Paul Watson collided with Chris Kane.

The Dumfries side did pull another goal back through on-loan St Johnstone defender Kerr, who nodded in from Connor Murray's cross, but there was no time for an equaliser.

Post-match reaction

Falkirk manager Paul Hartley: "We're over the moon; it was a good day's work and the spirit was fantastic. It's been a long tough season for us so to get the three points was the main thing. Louis Longridge has been a key player for us with his work-rate and energy - it was an excellent goal."

Queen of the South manager Gary Naysmith: "With respect, we're not a good enough team to give other teams three goals of a start, albeit if the referee gives us what was a blatant penalty we would have got a draw. In general play I thought the lads played well, especially in the second half."