Callumn Morrison's superb curled strike defeated Hamilton Academical and stretched Falkirk's lead in the Scottish Championship to five points.
As the clock ticked into the 80th minute, it appeared John McGlynn's table toppers were going to miss the opportunity to fully capitalise on second-place Livingston's defeat by Ayr United.
But the crafty Morrison, who only came on seven minutes earlier, bent a beauty of a left-footed strike into the top corner.
Falkirk remained patient against a well-organised Accies side, who posed their own threat on the counter, and their rewards were eventually delivered.
Given John Rankin's side were ripped apart in the first-half when these sides last met in October, it was a much-improved performance for the side who drop down one place to eighth.
