Falkirk completed a seasonal quartet of wins over dismal Dundee United and earned themselves £80,000 in the process by ensuring they cannot now be overtaken in seventh place.
United could not complain about the result but were convinced the dismissal of skipper Lee Wilkie midway through the second half had been harsh.
Still, 2-0 was an improvement on their efforts the last two times they had taken on the Bairns. Both had ended in 5-1 thrashings, with the second costing then-boss Craig Brewster his job.
Falkirk were by far the better team once again and could legitimately have gone in at the break with more than a single goal to show for their efforts. Indeed, the only element of doubt surrounded the identity of its scorer.
Carl Finnigan was the central figure in the fifth-minute drama which had been made possible by United defender Sean Dillon's under-cooked attempt to head back to his goalkeeper.
The striker lost no time in latching on to the loose ball and successfully lofted it over the advancing Derek Stillie.
The ball bounced and David McCracken appeared to have hooked it off the line in the nick of time - but Latapy had also been hunting it down and the little Trinidadian's block sent it spinning into the net.
Finnigan took the plaudits - but the goal really belonged to his team-mate.
United huffed and puffed without ever looking like equalising before the break. Steven Robb was their liveliest performer and put Kasper Schmeichel under pressure with a few free-kicks before firing a dipping long-range effort just over and a snapshot at the goalkeeper, with Mark Kerr also sending a volley narrowly over.
But Falkirk chances had been more regular and a borderline offside decision denied Finnigan a finish which most definitely was his in the 35th minute.
Vitor Lima had earlier cleared the United crossbar by a matter of inches and the off-key Dillon survived a close call for a penalty when Alan Gow went down on the left of the box.
Finnigan had also suffered a hand injury in the first half and was replaced at the break by Pedro Moutinho, who calmly set Gow up for the second goal in the 51st minute.
This was Gow's final appearance for the Bairns in a Falkirk shirt as he joins Rangers in the summer so his left-foot finish from 12 yards was the perfect leaving present.
United wilted and had Stillie to thank that a third did not follow straight after.
Gow was the architect, finding space in the box to set up Latapy, who unselfishly passed it to Liam Craig.
The United defence went missing as blue shirts queued up - but somehow Stillie was able to palm Craig's effort over.
Wilkie allowed his frustration to get the better of him and was booked near the hour mark for hacking down Moutinho.
United swapped Craig Conway for William Easton before Kenny Milne was booked for a foul on United striker Collin Samuel.
Samuel had waited a long time for a chance but when one arrived he found Schmeichel's body firmly in the way of his shot on the turn and David Robertson's follow-up effort sailed over.
The sides then swapped free-kicks in dangerous positions - Gow forced Stillie into another admirable save but Robb's effort at the other end went harmlessly over.
It summed up the balance of power perfectly and United made another hopeful substitution with 20 minutes remaining by sending Stuart Duff on for Robertson.
Luck was not with them however as Wilkie was then sent off, with his second bookable offence a robust tackle on Darren Barr near the touchline.
Again referee Chris Boyle appeared to have made a poor judgement call as there was no malice - and United manager Craig Levein's anger boiled over instantly and he received a long lecture from the official.
Substitute John Stewart hit a post for Falkirk late on and a mazy run into the danger zone by Gow saw him lose possession right at the vital moment as the home side finished as they had begun - on top.
Teams
Falkirk Schmeichel, Ross, Barr, Milne, Scobbie,Thomson (Mcstay 77), Lima, Latapy (John Stewart 79), Craig,Gow, Finnigan (Moutinho 46).
Subs Not Used: Lambers, Uras, O'Donnell, Twaddle.
Booked: Milne.
Goals: Latapy 5, Gow 51.
Dundee Utd Stillie, Kalvenes, Wilkie, Dillon, McCracken,Conway (Easton 60), Kerr, Cameron, Robb (Russell 80),Robertson (Duff 69), Samuel.
Subs Not Used: McLean, Mair, Andreoni, Goodwillie.
Sent Off: Wilkie (72).
Booked: Wilkie, Kerr.
Att: 4,161
Ref: C Boyle (Scotland).
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