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Kudus Oyenuga's goal gave Morton the points

Falkirk suffered their first defeat of 2017 after Kudus Oyenuga's header gave Greenock Morton all three points.

Thomas O'Ware missed at the back post for the visitors in the first half while goalkeeper Derek Gaston saved well from Falkirk's John Baird.

Ross Forbes was denied by a fine save from Falkirk goalkeeper Danny Rogers before Oyenuga finally broke the deadlock.

The result moves Jim Duffy's side level on points with second-placed Falkirk.

It means Duffy's team became the only side in the top four to take maximum points as the battle for the play-off places intensified once again, with them also having two games in hand over the Bairns.

The clash of the two form teams in the Championship drew a big Saturday evening crowd of 4,584.

There has been absolutely nothing between the sides so far this season, with each of the three previous league meetings being drawn, and it looked like that was going to be the case again.

Lawrence Shankland and Peter Grant traded half chances before the visitors should have taken the lead with a well worked free-kick.

Forbes played in Gary Oliver, whose cross found O'Ware at the far post but the defender could not add to his 10 goals this season, blasting a half-volley over the crossbar.

However, the best moment of the first half came right on the interval whistle, when Fraser Aird found Baird in the box and his thumping shot from eight yards was brilliantly saved by Gaston in the Morton goal.

The visitors started strongly in the second half and Rogers produced a save to match Gaston's from a terrific Forbes' free-kick.

Forbes then flashed another great effort inches over the top before Baird got his bearings wrong in the box with a header which might have put the home side in front.

It was Oyenuga who was to make the difference with a great header from an Aiden Nesbitt cross which flashed past Rogers for his third and maybe most important goal of the season.

Post-match reaction

Falkirk first team coach James McDonaugh: "It was a tight game, and we might have been a wee bit unfortunate to not go in at half-time with the lead.

"The boys worked hard but maybe we lacked a wee bit up front, but it is tight in this divisiona and we had the ambition to get a play-off place so we are still very much on course.

"We can still claim that second place and we will do everything in our power to make sure we finish as high up the division as we can. A frustrating day all round, but Hibs next week is massive and we are looking forward to it."

Morton manager Jim Duffy: "That was an outstanding result. Falkirk is a very, very difficult place to come and get a result like that. We got one or two little breaks, including that great save from Derek Gaston, and while we were maybe a little fortunate to win, it was a terrific result for the team.

"It is Kudus Oyenuga's birthday today, so that is a great celebration for him. I would have gladly taken a point from here tonight, so to take three is excellent.

"We still have a bit of work to do to confirm a top four place, but we are just happy to be up there at the top end of the league. We will enjoy the weekend and with Dunfermline to play next week the tough games just keep on coming."