Falkirk strengthened their grip on seventh place in the Bank of Scotland Premier League table after Carl Finnigan's second-half winner settled a drab contest at Westfield.

The match had all the hallmarks of an end-of-season meeting and a goalless draw looked the likely outcome.

But Finnigan popped in the 78th minute to claim the Bairns' first victory since the end of March.

Inverness, who passed up a couple of decent chances, will have felt aggrieved as they slipped four points behind their rivals in the battle for seventh place.

A poor 3,129 crowd and a low-key start gave the impression of a pre-season game in the afternoon sun.

The first opportunity fell to the visitors, with Graham Bayne's flick-on allowing Richard Hart to burst through, but his 16-yard effort went wide of Kasper Schmeichel's left-hand post.

The Bairns replied with wonderful trickery from Alan Gow in the 14th minute.

The Rangers-bound forward weaved his way into the box and evaded a host of challenges before chipping into Michael Fraser's arms.

Vitor Lima then tried to lift the eerie atmosphere with a long-range strike but it swerved straight into Fraser's body.

Inverness midfielder John Rankin tried his luck at the other end but his free-kick was easily held by Schmeichel.

Falkirk forward John Stewart, seeking his first league goal of an injury-hit season, then dragged a shot wide after Liam Craig's lay-off.

The visitors were content to let Falkirk dictate play, yet were looking increasingly threatening on the break.

Hart almost produced the breakthrough just before the half-hour mark when he rushed on to Russell Duncan's cut-back and stroked just wide of the left upright.

With Inverness tails up, Dargo then headed just wide under pressure from Darren Barr and Kenny Milne.

A low-tempo game was livening up slightly and Lima almost had home fans on their feet when his fierce 36th-minute strike was touched over by Fraser.

After a drab opening half, the second had to improve - and Falkirk should have led inside three minutes.

Lima's cross from the right saw Stewart bravely win a header and knock the ball down to the unmarked Finnigan just four yards from goal.

However, the former Newcastle reserve incredibly hit the bar with the goal at his mercy and Inverness hacked clear.

Bayne soon replied for Caley Thistle as his diving header flew wide.

But the game quickly returned to a poor, scrappy spectacle with chances and quality passing not forthcoming.

Just before the hour, Hart again came close as his curling effort whistled just past before a Bayne header drifted wide.

Stewart tried his luck at the other end, yet it was Inverness substitute Barry Wilson who almost netted on 68 minutes.

The veteran winger capitalised on a Milne mistake to drive through the middle but Schmeichel got down to save well.

Another Hart free-kick was palmed over by Schmeichel and from the resultant corner Liam Craig was forced to head off his own line.

But a flurry of substitutions suddenly turned the game in Falkirk's favour as Finnigan atoned for his earlier miss.

Schmeichel's long free-kick caught the visiting defence napping and the striker was alert to sidefoot the ball over Fraser for his third goal for the Bairns since his January move from St James' Park.

Teams

Falkirk Schmeichel, Ross, Barr, Milne, Scobbie, Lima,Latapy (Uras 77), Craig, Finnigan, Gow (Moutinho 75),John Stewart (Mcstay 77).

Subs Not Used: Lambers, Holden, O'Donnell, Twaddle.

Booked: Lima.

Goals: Finnigan 78.

Inverness CT Fraser, Duncan, Dods, McCaffrey (Paatelainen 83),Munro, Hart, Hastings, McBain, Rankin (Wilson 67), Bayne, Dargo.

Subs Not Used: Ridgers, Tokely, Black, Wood, Sutherland.

Att: 3,129

Ref: S Finnie (Scotland).