FALKIRK manager Paul Hartley commended his players for earning plaudits for their scintillating football after some of their supporters brought shame on the club four days earlier.
The Bairns were irrepressible in racking up a 6-1 victory over Championship title hopefuls Dundee United and such was their dominance that the scoreline did not even flatter the hosts one bit.
The victory, which moves Falkirk to within three points of climbing out the relegation zone ahead of Tuesday’s game in hand at Inverness, came after Falkirk fans were roundly criticised for mocking Dunfermline player Dean Shiels’ disability by throwing rubber eyeballs onto the East End Park pitch.
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Tannadice midfielder Billy King had given the visitors an early lead but Hartley’s side responded in emphatic fashion.
After hitting the frame of the goal three times, Falkirk finally got off the mark through Peter Grant.
United were hit for six as a Louis Longridge brace and strikes from Reghan Tumilty, Tommy Robson and Lewis Kidd ensured United fell six points behind league leaders St Mirren in the race for automatic promotion.
Hartley said: “We’ve had a tough week as a club – a lot of negative press.
“For us and for the supporters, it was something to cheer about; just an outstanding performance after going a goal down.
“It could have been [double figures]. We hit the bar and the post a few times in the first half but overall our play was terrific and everybody made an impact.
“I thought we were exceptional. We dominated the game from start to finish against a team that is challenging for the title. We’ve set a standard and have to try and maintain that."
United took the lead in the sixth minute when King rounded goalkeeper Robbie Thomson to find the net after meeting James Keatings’ pass.
However, that was as good as it got for Csaba Laszlo's side. Grant headed in Longridge’s corner in the 22nd minute before Tumilty converted Kidd’s pass from close range four minutes shy of the break.
Longridge notched a stunning goal from the edge of the area in the 57th minute before left-wing back Tommy Robson rifled an effort high into the net in the 65th minute.
Former Hamilton forward Longridge curled in a fifth in the 73rd minute before Kidd rounded off the scoring for the home side in the final seconds after he forced in Craig Sibbald’s cut back.
United manager Laszlo was furious with his players for failing to put up a fight.
He said: “It’s an unacceptable performance. This is a shame. Yes, you can lose games but not like that.
“Everybody has to look in the mirror and examine what they have done today. They cannot hide behind somebody else’s back.
“After 10 minutes it looked a promising game for us with the goal but after that it was just a disaster.
“You have a chairman there [Stephen Thompson] who pays the salary and this is what you give back?”
Falkirk: Thomson; Murhead, Grant, McGhee (Watson 76); Tumilty. Kidd, Taiwo (Welsh 45), Sibbald, Robson; Nelson (Loy 80), Longridge
Substittues not used: Mutch, McKee, Harris, Craigen
Dundee United: Lewis; Robson, Quinn, Scobbie, Mason; Keatings (Chalmers 66), Flood, Stanton, Slater (Lyng 59), King (Smith 86); McDonald
Substitutes not used: Mehmet, Durnan, Allardice, Ballantyne
Referee: Nick Walsh
Attendance: 5,326