Kieron Bowie at the double as Hibernian brush aside Falkirk

Kieron Bowie scored twice as Hibernian swatted aside Falkirk with a convincing 3-0 victory.

The hosts deservedly went ahead through a Martin Boyle penalty before Bowie capped a dominant first-half display with a stunning effort before the break.

Falkirk improved after the interval and had an Ethan Ross effort ruled out for offside.

However, any hope of a fightback was wiped out when Bowie notched his second in the 80th minute.

It was a welcome return to winning ways for the home team following successive defeats to Motherwell and Celtic, while the defeat was only Falkirk’s second loss in 10 Scottish Premiership games.

David Gray’s side certainly did not start like a team whose confidence may have taken a hit from their recent setbacks.

The hosts were quickly out of the blocks and had the Bairns pegged back for most of a one-sided first half.

Jack Iredale set the tone for a lively opening 45 minutes from the hosts with a run and shot from an angle at the edge of the box that goalkeeper Scott Bain forced behind for a corner.

A low Josh Mulligan pass into the area then caused panic, but Chris Cadden scooped a harmless left-footed effort over from close range after being teed up by Bowie.

Falkirk did not help themselves at times after Dylan Tait lost possession in a dangerous area.

Cadden whipped a dangerous cross into the six-yard box and Liam Henderson somehow managed to lift the ball over his own bar from just yards out.

Jamie McGrath then hit a tame half-volley straight at Bain before Falkirk fashioned their first real chance of the game.

Brian Graham laid the ball off for Brad Spencer 18 yards out and the midfielder checked back on to his left foot before seeing his low drive pushed away by Hibs goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger.

The danger was still alive, but Ethan Williams hit his shot into the side-netting from a tight angle.

However, it was Hibs who broke the deadlock in the 36th minute from the penalty spot.

Boyle was upended by Filip Lissah after the forward raced on to Mulligan’s pass and the Australia international slammed his spot-kick straight down the middle.

It got better for Hibs five minutes later when Bowie doubled their lead.

The Scotland cap was found by Mulligan and he set himself before curling a sublime left-footed shot from the corner of the area past the despairing Bain.

Falkirk manager John McGlynn brought on Henry Cartwright and Alfredo Agyeman at the break and the visitors at least started imposing themselves.

Sallinger was called on to produce a fine save to push Calvin Miller’s rising effort behind for a corner.

Sallinger was then beaten in a one-on-one duel with Ross, but VAR ruled the forward was marginally offside.

Hibs made sure of the victory in the 80th minute when substitute Josh Campbell’s teasing near-post cross was tapped home by Bowie.