Falkirk manager Eddie May has received a triple boost ahead of the visit to Hearts after Kjartan Finnbogason, Burton O'Brien and Scott Arfield all shook off injuries.

Finnbogason missed last weekend's 3-1 defeat by St Mirren with a knee injury while the other pair were forced off with ankle problems.

Carl Finnigan was stretchered off with ankle ligament damage and although he misses the Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash at Tynecastle, he will be back sooner than initially feared.

"Finnbogason is fit, as is Burton O'Brien and Scott Arfield," assistant manager Alex Smith said.

"It's been a real bonus they have been able to train (on Thursday) because they are all key players.

"Carl Finnigan is out for the weekend and may be out for another week or two but we're going to have him back sooner than we thought.

"Last week we thought he may be out for a couple of months, but we think it's weeks rather than months."

The news is a welcome boost to a club reeling from what Smith admitted was perhaps their most disappointing defeat of a season that is yet to yield an SPL win.

Falkirk had conceded just one goal in their previous four SPL matches but the end of their 520-minute goal drought was soon followed by the loss of three goals in 21 minutes.

But former St Mirren, Aberdeen and Dundee United manager Smith believes he has the formula for retaining their confidence and moving off the bottom of the table.

"There is always a danger when you're losing games but it's our job to make sure confidence doesn't drop away," Smith said.

"We have to keep the players high and believing in themselves and we have got to keep our own confidence high.

"If we start showing signs of weakness or indecision, it will filter through to the players.

"I've been in this position several times in my career and I know exactly what it takes to get out of it.

"It's an old-fashioned cliche but the only way is to work that wee bit harder, to fight that wee bit harder, to come together as a team that wee bit better.

"When I say everybody I mean the chairman, the directors, the backroom staff, the management team, the players, all pulling in the one direction.

"We had a bit last year when things were pulling against each other - we don't want that.

"My experience in that has got to be used in a way that it's a precious commodity for Eddie."

Smith was brought in by May himself to help guide him through his first management role.

And the 67-year-old has faith in his pupil despite some rumblings of discontent among Falkirk fans following Saturday's defeat.

"He has a real strength about him that maybe other people don't recognise because he is a very well-mannered person," Smith said.

"He is a strong boy, he makes decisions and is very positive with the decisions he makes.

"He's very ambitious for Falkirk Football Club. He appreciates the club, he was a very good player for the club, he was a favourite with the fans.

"He appreciates the fans tremendously and has spoken to them at two or three meetings and been very, very honest.

"And I think Falkirk supporters will give Eddie the encouragement to be the manager he wants to be."