A Carl Finnigan header after 11 minutes gave Falkirk all three points in a Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park which ended with a bang.

Bairns midfielder Scott Arfield delivered an inviting cross from the left and the Englishman headed past home goalkeeper Alan Combe from eight yards out.

In the final seconds of an otherwise unremarkable match there was drama when Killie defender Frazer Wright and Falkirk keeper Tim Krul were sent off by referee Iain Brines after a goalmouth melee following a save by the Dutchman.

When the dust had settled substitute keeper Robert Olejnik came on to see out a final few dramatic minutes of a game that the Bairns perhaps deserved to edge.

Before the match started there was a minute's applause for Motherwell skipper Phil O'Donnell who died after collapsing at Fir Park during the match against Dundee United on Saturday.

A poignant sixty seconds gave way to a positive start to the match with both sides keen to gain an early advantage, and it was the slicker visitors who took the lead in the 11th minute with a simple enough goal.

Arfield drilled his cross in to the Killie box from the left and Finnigan nipped ahead of Simon Ford and redirected the ball past Combe from around eight yards out.

Killie stuttered for a few moments before launching their fightback but some poor decision-making in the final third was denying them the chance to draw level.

Despite Kilmarnock's enthusiasm, there was an element of hesitancy in their defence and in the 25th minute, after Wright's poor attempt at a headed backpass was intercepted by Finnigan, Combe took two attempts to clutch the Englishman's low drive from the edge of the box.

At the other end, Killie midfielder David Fernandez found some space inside the packed Falkirk box but curled his shot from 16 yards high over the bar.

Falkirk's fluidity going forward was impressive but all too often for manager Hughes' liking they spluttered to a halt around the Rugby Park penalty area.

However, in the 40th minute Finnigan gave the unmarked Michael Higdon the chance to grab number two with a fine cross from the left but the big Bairns striker headed over from 12 yards out.

The home side were booed off at the break which may have inspired boss Jim Jefferies to give Alan Morgan his debut at the start of the second half as a replacement for Fernandez.

But it was Falkirk who were first to threaten again when striker Pedro Moutinho picked up an Arfield pass and drilled in a low angled shot from 16 yards which Combe did well to stop between his legs at the near post.

There was some encouragement for the home side in the 53rd minute when Danny Invincibile sent a searching drive from 25 yards towards the far corner of the net, Bairns keeper Krul diving low to his right to beat the ball away.

Falkirk's talismanic midfielder Russell Latapy replaced Moutinho after 56 minutes, the veteran looking to provide the decisive pass that would help the visitors grab the crucial second.

But moments later Killie defender Jamie Hamill managed to blast Morgan's powerful corner wide from barely six yards out when any goal-bound touch would surely have resulted in the equaliser.

Play continued to swing from end to end, but as the game entered the last quarter it looked like Finnigan's first-half header would be enough to separate the sides.

Killie introduced Allan Johnston for Mehdi Taouil and they chased the equaliser for all their worth.

In the 90th minute, after Krul had pulled off a fine save from Hamill, there was huge melee on the line involving around half the players on the park which ended with Wright and Krul being dismissed.

Teams

Kilmarnock Combe, Hamill, Hay, Frazer Wright, Ford,Invincibile, Fowler, Taouil (Johnston 71), Wales, Nish,Fernandez (Alan Morgan 46).

Subs Not Used: Harpur, Locke, Clancy, Flannigan, Kyle Wright.

Sent Off: Frazer Wright (90).

Booked: Fernandez, Hay, Wales.

Falkirk Krul, Ross, Holden, Barr, Scobbie, Cregg, Thomson, Arfield, Moutinho (Latapy 55), Finnigan (Riera 80), Higdon,Latapy (Olejnik 90).

Subs Not Used: Bradley, Aafjes, Milne, Moffat.

Sent Off: Krul (90).

Booked: Krul, Finnigan.

Goals: Finnigan 11.

Att: 5,956

Ref: I Brines (Scotland).