Falkirk 2-1 Dundee: Connor Allan’s late winner sinks Dundee and sends Falkirk fourth

Connor Allan scored a sublime late winner as Falkirk moved up to fourth in the William Hill Premiership after coming from behind to beat Dundee 2-1 at the Falkirk Stadium.

The centre-back, who was only in the side after an injury to defender Lewis Neilson, won the ball in the Dundee half and coolly jinked past a couple of challenges before slotting the ball past Jon McCracken to seal victory in the 89th minute.

Dundee defender Clark Robertson had earlier scored at both ends as a competitive match seemed to be heading for a draw.

Robertson, who is the Dark Blues’ top scorer this season with four goals, headed home a Cameron Congreve corner to give Dundee a first-half lead.

But the hosts, who had been poor in the opening 45 minutes, improved markedly after the break and the unfortunate Robertson directed Ethan Williams’ effort into his own net shortly after half-time.

Falkirk also hit the woodwork through Calvin Miller and Ross MacIver during a frantic 10-minute period after the interval, but they could not sustain the pressure as the match appeared to be ambling towards a draw before Allan’s late intervention.

It was the away side who created the first opportunity after just two minutes when a corner broke to Simon Murray at the far post but Falkirk goalkeeper Scott Bain came out well to block the scuffed shot.

Falkirk’s first chance of note did not come until the 22nd minute when Miller jinked his way to the edge of the box before skewing an effort harmlessly wide with the outside of his boot.

Dundee took the lead out of the blue in the 26th minute with the simplest of goals, as Congreve’s corner was met by Robertson who headed the ball into the ground and past the helpless Bain.

There was a delay just before the break as VAR checked for a possible penalty to Dundee after Ethan Hamilton was challenged by Kyrell Wilson, but the claim was eventually waved away, while Hamilton was booked, despite appearing to get a touch on the ball first.

Falkirk came flying out of the traps after the interval.

First, Miller’s side-footed attempt came back off the crossbar in the 49th minute after Dundee goalkeeper McCracken gifted the ball to Wilson.

And the Bairns were level moments later as Robertson could only divert the ball into his own net after Williams had volleyed a free-kick across the face of goal.

Dundee were shellshocked and the home side were inches away from taking the lead in the 56th minute as MacIver directed Keelan Adams’ inviting cross against McCracken’s right-hand post.

It was one-way traffic now and McCracken was forced into two saves just after the hour, diving to his right to keep out an improvised Miller shot, before parrying a long-range Dylan Tait shot over the bar.

As the clocked ticked towards the 90th minute, Allan beat Emile Acquah and showed incredible composure to skip past two Dundee challenges before coolly guiding the ball into the far corner from eight yards.