Airdrieonians 6-2 Falkirk: Diamonds crush Bairns in first leg as both sides finish with 10 men

Callum Fordyce scored to put the Diamonds 5-0 ahead by half time

Airdrieonians hammered visitors Falkirk to take control of their Scottish Championship play-off semi-final after both sides finished with 10 men.

Goals from Justin Devenny, player-boss Rhys McCabe, Callum Smith, Aaron Taylor-Sinclair and Callum Fordyce had the hosts well in control by half-time.

Coll Donaldson and Kai Kennedy reduced the arrears either side of goalkeeper Joshua Rae's red card for the hosts.

But Jordan Allan was also sent off before McCabe's late spot kick.

• Reaction & as it happened

It was a spectacular end to a run of three straight away wins, and four without defeat, for a Falkirk side who finished the regular season as League 1 runners-up, seven points ahead of Airdrieonians, who head into Saturday's second leg with a convincing advantage.