St Johnstone put more distance between themselves and bottom club Falkirk with a convincing victory.
Collin Samuel latched on to a poor clearance from Brian McLean to shoot home from 10 yards after 90 seconds.
Carl Finnigan levelled after the break with an impressive volley, but Chris Millar restored Saints' lead with a drive across Robert Olejnik.
The Bairns keeper was at fault when he failed to gather a free kick and Murray Davidson headed in from close range.
The result leaves Falkirk four points adrift at the foot of the Scottish Premier League table and the Bairns contributed to their own downfall with some costly mistakes.
St Johnstone were gifted a very early lead when McLean misjudged the flight of Dave MacKay's cross as he attempted to chest it away and only succeeded in setting up Samuel.
Saints' top scorer was never going to miss from 10 yards out and he rippled the net for his sixth of the season.
Experienced full-back Jackie McNamara was injured as the goal was conceded and had to make way for forward Finnigan, forcing manager Eddie May to reshuffle his side.
The home side should have doubled their lead when Kenny Deuchar sent Samuel into the right-hand channel, but when his cross perfectly picked out Liam Craig the midfielder somehow missed an open goal.
Davidson was then disappointed not to have got his header on target from Craig's curling cross.
Saints midfield general Jody Morris came close in the 26th minute with a shot on the drop that whistled past the top corner of Olejnik's goal.
Falkirk came flying out of the traps following the break and finally found the incisiveness to grab the equaliser after only three minutes.
Marc Twaddle's ball forward was flicked on brilliantly by Kjartan Finnbogason for strike partner Finnigan to rattle a volley past the exposed Graeme Smith from 16 yards.
The visitors enjoyed a brief period of dominance after the goal, but half-time substitute Millar fired Saints back in front on 64 minutes.
An untidy attack climaxed with the ball falling for Millar on the right side of the area and his shot across Olejnik beat the keeper's despairing dive.
And, within two minutes, the Perth side effectively sealed the win with a third goal that was all down to Olejnik's error.
Craig sent in a deep free-kick from the right and, when the keeper came and failed to gather, Davidson headed in the ricochet from close range.
Saints' quick-fire double knocked the stuffing out of the Bairns and it was the home side who finished the game on top and seeking a fourth goal.
St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes: "We deserved it on chances created.
"Falkirk passed and moved well and made us nervous and edgy at times but we realise we won't get our own way for 90 minutes.
"We missed three or four clear chances to finish the game in the first half and I thought it might have been one of those afternoons.
"But the players showed a lot of qualities to win. It wasn't always good but it was always determined."
Falkirk director of football Alex Smith: "For some reason we got off to a bad start and we didn't recover until maybe the 35th minute.
"We got back in the game and should have taken confidence from the goal because it was an inspirational finish.
"But we got casual again and we were caught out.
"There's a way to win football matches and we have to learn how to do that very quickly."
93:04 The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.
Full Time
90:00+0:59 Carl Finnigan takes a shot from close in clearing the crossbar.
89:29 Substitution Murray Davidson goes off and Martin Hardie comes on.
89:00 Murray Davidson challenges Scott Arfield unfairly and gives away a free kick. Scott Arfield takes the free kick.
88:27 Jonatan Johansson concedes a free kick for a foul on Brian McLean. Direct free kick taken by Robert Olejnik.
88:11 Marc Twaddle delivers the ball, save made by Graeme Smith.
87:15 Inswinging corner taken by Liam Craig, Close range header by Kevin Rutkiewicz goes over the bar.
86:08 Inswinging corner taken by Liam Craig, Kevin Rutkiewicz takes a shot. Brian McLean manages to make a clearance.
85:30 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Daniel Grainger by Carl Finnigan. Direct free kick taken by Daniel Grainger.
84:14 Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Liam Craig from the left by-line.
81:47 Marc Twaddle challenges Kenny Deuchar unfairly and gives away a free kick. Centre by Liam Craig, Effort on goal by Graham Gartland from just inside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the target.
80:48 Scott Arfield concedes a free kick for a foul on Jody Morris. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Liam Craig from right wing, Darren Barr manages to make a clearance.
80:04 Inswinging corner taken by Liam Craig from the right by-line, Robert Olejnik makes a save.
78:37 Chris Mitchell produces a cross, David MacKay makes a clearance.
77:08 Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Liam Craig, Graham Gartland has a headed effort at goal from close range which goes wide of the left-hand upright.
77:02 A cross is delivered by David MacKay.
76:24 Liam Craig fouled by Chris Mitchell, the ref awards a free kick. Liam Craig crosses the ball in from the free kick, Brian McLean makes a clearance.
73:16 Corner from left by-line taken by Alex MacDonald.
73:04 Chris Mitchell produces a cross, David MacKay manages to make a clearance.
71:25 Chris Mitchell delivers the ball, save made by Graeme Smith.
67:35 Substitution Mark Stewart replaces Ryan Flynn.
65:56 GOAL - Murray Davidson:St Johnstone 3 - 1 Falkirk Murray Davidson grabs a headed goal from close range. St Johnstone 3-1 Falkirk.
64:32 Free kick awarded for a foul by Marc Twaddle on Jonatan Johansson. Free kick crossed left-footed by Liam Craig, Robert Olejnik makes a clearance.
63:14 GOAL - Chris Millar:St Johnstone 2 - 1 Falkirk Chris Millar gets on the score sheet with a goal from inside the box to the bottom left corner of the goal. St Johnstone 2-1 Falkirk.
62:22 Unfair challenge on Robert Olejnik by Kenny Deuchar results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Robert Olejnik.
61:04 Corner taken left-footed by Liam Craig, David MacKay takes a shot. Save by Robert Olejnik.
58:52 Substitution Jonatan Johansson joins the action as a substitute, replacing Collin Samuel.
56:11 Inswinging corner taken by Liam Craig, save by Robert Olejnik.
55:58 Chris Millar crosses the ball, clearance by Brian McLean.
55:06 Volleyed left-footed shot by Liam Craig. Save by Robert Olejnik.
54:25 Free kick awarded for a foul by Kjartan Finnbogason on Kevin Rutkiewicz. Free kick taken by Graham Gartland.
48:17 Assist by Scott Arfield.
48:17 GOAL - Carl Finnigan:St Johnstone 1 - 1 Falkirk Carl Finnigan grabs a goal from inside the six-yard box low into the middle of the goal. St Johnstone 1-1 Falkirk.
45:40 Liam Craig crosses the ball, save made by Robert Olejnik.
45:01 The second half has started.
45:01 Substitution Chris Millar replaces Filipe Morais.
Half Time
45:00+2:25 The referee blows for half time.
45:00+1:59 Kenny Deuchar gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Vitor Lima. Free kick taken by Scott Arfield.
45:00+0:37 Unfair challenge on Ryan Flynn by Daniel Grainger results in a free kick. Alex MacDonald has an effort direct from the free kick.
44:27 Kjartan Finnbogason takes a shot. Kevin Rutkiewicz gets a block in. Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Marc Twaddle.
43:03 Scott Arfield delivers the ball, Kjartan Finnbogason has a headed effort at goal from just inside the penalty area that misses to the left of the target.
39:21 Shot from just outside the box by Alex MacDonald misses to the right of the goal.
37:57 Liam Craig produces a left-footed shot from just outside the box that goes wide left of the goal.
35:35 Inswinging corner taken by Marc Twaddle from the right by-line, Alex MacDonald has a headed effort from close in and clears the bar.
34:41 A cross is delivered by Filipe Morais.
34:05 Alex MacDonald takes a shot. Save by Graeme Smith.
33:46 Centre by Carl Finnigan.
32:48 The official flags Kjartan Finnbogason offside. Indirect free kick taken by Daniel Grainger.
31:42 Inswinging corner taken by Alex MacDonald from the left by-line, Darren Barr takes a shot. Save by Graeme Smith.
30:00 The ball is swung over by Collin Samuel, Liam Craig produces a volleyed left-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the right-hand post.
28:50 Vitor Lima challenges Murray Davidson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Daniel Grainger.
28:50 Booking Vitor Lima is shown a yellow card.
26:42 Kenny Deuchar challenges Chris Mitchell unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Robert Olejnik.
25:00 Jody Morris takes a shot from just outside the penalty area which clears the crossbar.
24:36 Unfair challenge on Murray Davidson by Scott Arfield results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Jody Morris.
24:02 Kjartan Finnbogason concedes a free kick for a foul on Kevin Rutkiewicz. Graeme Smith takes the direct free kick.
22:21 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jody Morris by Carl Finnigan. Jody Morris takes the free kick.
19:06 Graham Gartland gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Carl Finnigan. Marc Twaddle crosses the ball from the free kick left-footed from right channel, save by Graeme Smith.
17:24 Alex MacDonald challenges Liam Craig unfairly and gives away a free kick. Daniel Grainger takes the free kick.
17:01 Murray Davidson produces a header from inside the six-yard box that clears the bar.
16:49 A cross is delivered by Liam Craig.
16:42 The ball is sent over by Collin Samuel.
14:21 Liam Craig produces a left-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the left-hand post.
12:01 Collin Samuel gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Darren Barr. Robert Olejnik takes the direct free kick.
11:31 Chris Mitchell challenges Graham Gartland unfairly and gives away a free kick. Daniel Grainger takes the free kick.
11:12 Carl Finnigan takes a shot. Graeme Smith makes a save.
10:26 The ball is swung over by Liam Craig, Collin Samuel produces a header from inside the area that goes over the crossbar.
8:44 Free kick awarded for a foul by Vitor Lima on Jody Morris. Direct free kick taken by Jody Morris.
8:16 The ball is swung over by Chris Mitchell, Scott Arfield takes a shot. Graeme Smith makes a save.
6:08 Substitution Carl Finnigan replaces Jackie McNamara.
5:48 Centre by Filipe Morais, save made by Robert Olejnik.
3:44 Corner taken right-footed by Alex MacDonald, David MacKay makes a clearance.
1:23 GOAL - Collin Samuel:St Johnstone 1 - 0 Falkirk A goal is scored by Collin Samuel from close in to the bottom left corner of the goal. St Johnstone 1-0 Falkirk.
1:12 Daniel Grainger delivers the ball, clearance made by Brian McLean.
0:49 Kjartan Finnbogason concedes a free kick for a foul on Liam Craig. Daniel Grainger restarts play with the free kick.
0:00 The game begins.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Sportscene SPL video analysis
Bookmark with:
What are these?