Robertson gave Dundee United the lead after 22 minutes
Dundee United maintained their excellent run of form with a narrow SPL victory at home to Falkirk.
Scott Robertson pounced on Falkirk skipper Darren Barr's half-cleared header to sidefoot the ball past Robert Olejnik midway through the first half.
Falkirk battled gamely and Scott Arfield went closest while United's Craig Conway and Jon Daly spurned chances to wrap up the points.
To compound Falkirk's misery Barr was red-carded after 81 minutes.
Despite a determined opening from Falkirk, only the assistant referee's raised flag saved them from going behind in the fifth minute.
Jon Daly bundled in a rebound following a Warren Feeney effort but the goal was disallowed for offside.
The visitors' shaky-looking defence was rocking again in the 18th minute as goalkeeper Olejnik fumbled a high ball from Conway.
At the other end, the Bairns only had a weak header from Michael Higdon to show for their efforts.
United's pressure eventually paid off with the breakthrough in the 22nd minute.
A magnificent pass from Paul Dixon sent Feeney clear and when Barr's clearing header only made it to the edge of the area, Robertson followed in to side-foot past Olejnik.
The Austrian goalkeeper was again put under pressure from Conway's inswinging corner in the 25th minute but the crossbar saved the Bairns twice in an aerial scramble.
There was a glimmer of hope for Falkirk in the 29th minute as Scott Arfield released Steve Lovell through on goal but United keeper Lukasz Zaluska thwarted his progress and the chance was gone.
Falkirk had half-hearted claims for a penalty waved aside by referee Chris Boyle 10 minutes from the interval as Burton O'Brien went down under a challenge from Garry Kenneth.
However, Falkirk finally created an opportunity two minutes later, only for Arfield to send Michael Higdon's pass wildly over from a tight angle.
Another dangerous Conway corner caused Falkirk major difficulties and they had Arnau Riera to thank for his goal-line block on Kenneth after Daly's header.
The Bairns knew they needed a massive improvement from their first-half display and they almost snatched an equaliser shortly after the interval.
Arfield played a neat one-two with Lovell on the edge of the box but Zaluska, playing for the first time since signing a pre-contract agreement with Celtic, stopped the midfielder's low shot with his fingertips.
United were aware another goal would kill the game and they came close on three occasions in the space of only 11 minutes.
First, Conway struck the angle of bar and post with a mishit half-volley in the 51st minute.
And the hosts should really have sealed all three points six minutes later as Feeney scampered onto Willo Flood's pass, only for Daly to blast his cutback too high.
When Feeney headed Conway's right-wing cross just over, it followed Higdon's drive wide of the target and the striker's net-bound header, which was held by Zaluska as Falkirk enjoyed some meaningful possession.
The visitors survived a penalty claim in the 69th minute as Barr appeared to bundle over Feeney.
Falkirk were reduced to 10 men nine minutes from time when Barr received a second booking after fouling Flood.
Dundee United manager Craig Levein: "We had more clear-cut chances today than the last three added together but we couldn't put the ball in the back of the net.
"The goal we scored from Scott Robertson was fantastic but it just made it a little more nervous than it should have been because we should have had the game tied up at half-time in all honesty.
"Even in the second half we hit the bar twice and missed some glaring opportunities. Lukasz Zaluska had nothing to do except for a great save from the boy (Scott) Arfield, so we needed him today.
"Things didn't go for us today but we're going away from the game picking up three points. Last season, today's game would have been drawn; that's the significant improvement."
Falkirk manager John Hughes: "We deserved to score a goal. The best chances fell to young (Scott) Arfield who hit the post and forced a good save from their keeper. There should have been more goals in the game.
"But Dundee United hit the woodwork a few times and, on reflection, they were probably the better side.
"My boys gave it everything they had, even in the second half when they were down to 10 men. We were brave and we were still trying to get back in the match.
"But we shot ourselves in the foot in the first half, maybe through lack of confidence because of the position we are in the league."
Dundee Utd: Zaluska, Dillon, Wilkie, Kenneth, Dixon, Flood, Scott Robertson, Gomis, Conway, Feeney (Sandaza 87), Daly. Subs Not Used: McGovern, Grainger, David Robertson, Swanson, Kovacevic, Shala.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?