John McGlynn on matchwinner Gary Oliver's 'quality' and Falkirk's character once again coming to the fore

The forward, 28, made it five goals for the league campaign – all coming as a substitute – after he latched onto fellow sub Ross MacIver’s flick-on to fire home with just two minutes left on the clock at Forthbank.

The Bairns started poorly, and were made to pay after eight minutes when home captain Paul McLean slammed home the opener in a crowded penalty box, but they rallied, and star man Callumn Morrison was the man of the moment, expertly levelling ten minutes later when he cushioned Liam Henderson’s header in the six-yard box.

And thanks to that hard-fought win, the Bairns are now just eight points from sealing the third tier title heading into the final eight fixtures.

“That was another important goal that Gary (Oliver) has come on and scored for us,” delighted boss John McGlynn beamed. “It was really good finish through the goalkeeper’s legs and there aren’t many players you would have backed to have found the back of the net in that situation.

"He has got that quality. It one of them you probably just go to hit and hope but he has that finesse about him. Callumn Morrison scored a great goal too, it is the type of goal that we have actually been conceding of late, so it was nice to score one of them.

"We didn’t start the game too well. But we realise this was a derby game and Stirling were well up for it – we were also probably a wee bit leggy coming off the back of a Tuesday night trip to Cove. I can understand the sluggishness to a degree.

"But we got better going into the second half. It wasn’t our usual fluent football and there was no silky soccer really but actually we knew that. We found a way to win the game and you can take a lot from that.

"We could have actually scored two or three more on another day and we managed to pick up the three points. That’s all that matters, we are simply taking each game as it comes.”

Ahead of the trip to Palmerston to take on Queen of the South on Saturday (5.30pm kick-off, live on BBC Alba), McGlynn hailed his team’s character to bounce back and secure two wins in a row after the frustrating Annan Athletic draw.

“We’ve gone up to Cove and won and now won here today at Forthbank after losing that late goal at home to Annan,” he added. “That is seven points from nine including some tricky venues. I can’t compliment the players enough and their character is excellent.

"Dylan (Tait) was immense in the middle of the park. Liam Henderson did his bit in defence alongside Coll Donaldson. We have been rotating the squad and it has given the guys a chance to show what they can do – Sean Mackie was brilliant up at Cove and he had two assists in two.

"The competition is superb. I’m really pleased. Ryan Shanley did well too and we had two subs combined for our winner.

"We now have a tricky one at Palmerston. Queens will make it really difficult for us again.”