A smart finish from Darren Mackie and a stunning strike by Chris Clark handed Aberdeen a barely deserved 2-1 victory over Falkirk in the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

The breakthrough came in the 17th minute, as Mackie expertly clipped the ball over Bairns goalkeeper Jeroen Lambers, before Clark added a second with a fine effort just before the break.

Falkirk, who lost Thomas Scobbie and Lambers to injury in the first half, responded through Alan Gow with 21 minutes remaining.

But, ultimately, the visitors fell just short in their quest for a share of the spoils.

Aberdeen started positively, with Jamie Smith leaving his left-wing berth inside two minutes to cut inside Jack Ross and send a low shot wide of the Falkirk goal from 25 yards.

Scott Severin then drew a save from Lambers with a header following Barry Nicholson's free-kick, before the away side's first attack saw Gow hit the outside of Jamie Langfield's near post with a clever effort from an acute angle.

Shots form Mackie and Richard Foster followed for the Dons and, with the Pittodrie team in the ascendancy, they took the lead from a free-kick conceded when substitute Karl Dodd, who had earlier come on for the injured Scobbie, fouled Lee Miller.

Gary Dempsey intelligently flicked into the path of the onrushing Mackie, who lifted the ball over Lambers to score his fifth goal in four games.

As the result of colliding with Mackie, Lambers had to be substituted for replacement goalkeeper Scott Higgins shortly afterwards.

But, despite two enforced changes to their starting 11 inside 26 minutes, Falkirk came close to equalising following a strong run by Gow.

The former Airdrie forward cut the ball back to Anthony Stokes, but the prolific on-loan Arsenal striker got his effort all wrong and the ball skewed well wide of goal.

That was to prove a costly miss, as Clark doubled the Dons' advantage with a brilliant goal just before the break.

The 26-year-old midfielder gathered the ball on the left, before dispatching a sumptuous curling right-footed effort past the stranded Higgins, to score his first goal of the season.

That was the last bright spot for Aberdeen though, as Gow led Falkirk's second-half revival.

First the former Airdrie forward slalomed his way through a static home rearguard, before seeing a left-footed shot, which was heading for the top corner, brilliantly tipped over by Langfield.

But Gow finally found a way to goal in the 69th minute, with a fabulous finish from 20 yards which came after a magnificent turn leaving Severin and Foster trailing in his wake.

Aberdeen responded with a Smith free-kick which flashed just over.

Falkirk continued to push the pace in the closing stages, but, despite their valiant efforts, the Bairns could not earn the point their tireless efforts merited.

The match ended on a sour note for the Dons as the injured Miller was replaced by Karim Touzani.

Teams:

Aberdeen Langfield, Hart, Anderson, Severin,Foster (Considine 74), Jamie Smith, Nicholson,Dempsey (Lovell 80), Clark, Miller (Touzani 87), Mackie.

Subs Not Used: Soutar, Diamond, Daniel Smith, Maguire.

Booked: Lovell.

Goals: Mackie 17, Clark 44.

Falkirk Lambers (Higgins 26), Ross, Barr, Milne,Scobbie (Dodd 10), Craig, Cregg, Latapy, Lima, Stokes, Gow.

Subs Not Used: Uras, Mcstay, McManus, John Stewart, Roberston.

Booked: Gow.

Goals: Gow 69.

Att: 10,594

Ref: J Underhill (Scotland).