Late goals from John Baird and Alex Cooper earned Falkirk a 3-1 victory away at Alloa Athletic in the Scottish Championship this evening.

Kevin Cawley had cancelled out Luke Leahy's first-half opener at Recreation Park, only for the visitors to respond to extend their unbeaten league run to nine games.

Athletic had a couple of good early chances, but Cawley could not direct his powerful header wide of Jamie MacDonald, who also rescued his side after Kieran Duffie's mistake allowed Ryan McCord in on goal.

Falkirk were ahead two minutes later as Leahy met Blair Alston's corner with a ferocious strike at the far post, but Alloa equalised when Cawley finished just as emphatically on 57 minutes for his fourth of the season.

Alloa continued to create the better openings as Liam Buchanan worked MacDonald with a header, but Falkirk turned up the heat in the final quarter of an hour to condemn their opponents to a third straight defeat.

Baird firstly ran on to a long ball from Will Vaulks to put his side ahead on 79 minutes, and Cooper was equally calm when Craig Sibbald picked him out inside the box to make sure of the points three minutes from time.

The result sees Falkirk climb to within one point of fourth-placed Queen of the South, while Alloa remain ninth in the table.