Falkirk stretched their lead at the top of the First Division with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Clyde.

Craig McPherson cracked in a shot from the right edge of the box to open the scoring before Clyde star John Porter was red-carded four minutes later for a second bookable offence.

The home side doubled their advantage in the 68th minute when Fabian Bossy teed up Jamie McQuilken for a simple finish

Paddy Keogh was brought down in the box by home defender Steven Rennie in the 81st minute and the big striker took the penalty himself, only to see Allan Ferguson dive to his right to make a splendid save.

However Paul Kane grabbed a consolation for the visitors in the dying seconds with a powerful header.

Paul Hartley's missed penalty cost St Johnstone all three points against second-placed Ross County at McDiarmid Park.

Saints took a deserved lead on 30 minutes when which on-loan Celtic starlet Ryan McCann finished off a sweeping move.

An own goal six minutes from time left Queen of the South rooted towards the foot of the table as St Mirren won 2-1.

It had all seemed so different after only eight minutes when John O'Neill created the chance for Paul Shields to send a low drive into the net for the opener.

But Saints drew level 11 minutes later with an unstoppable 25-yard Martin Cameron shot which left goalkeeper Colin Scott helpless.

The winner arrived when a corner was swung into the crowded goalmouth and the ball cannoned off Peter Weatherson and into his own net.

Graham Bayne grabbed the equaliser after Alex Bone's saw three attempts on goal blocked and Hartley's miss ensured the points were shared.

Inverness Caley Thistle thrashed Arbroath 5-0 to move third in the table.

Ross Tokely grabbed the opener in the sixth minute but it wasn't until two minutes after the break that Richie Hart doubled the advantage.

Dennis Wyness made it 3-0 in the 51st minute with a low drive from the edge of the penalty area before Ross Tokely and Paul Ritchie completed the rout.

Alloa were unlucky not to claim at least a point in their 1-0 defeat against Ayr United.

Ayr have now gone five games unbeaten but were close to losing it against the battling Wasps.

A 52nd-minute goal from Scott Chaplain sealed the win but Alloa poured forward after Ayr's Paul Lovering had been sent off two minutes later.