In Rangers’ defence they did enjoy an abundance of chances either side of the half-time break but lacked the composure and efficiency to make any of them count.
Kick-off had been delayed by five minutes, presumably to allow supporters to enter the stadium and not because the players were reluctant to venture out from the warmth of their dressing rooms and into a howling gale and accompanying drizzle that swept around the stadium.
When play did get underway Rangers, unchanged from the starting line-up who eased past Kilmarnock the previous week, were immediately in the ascendancy.
Barry Ferguson, in particular, looked keen to be involved early on and from his corner Jeroen Lambers did well to keep out Nacho Novo’s volleyed effort.
Moments later and a Ferguson free kick from around 30 yards darted narrowly over the crossbar before Dado Prso found the same spot with a header from a Charlie Adam corner.
Falkirk entered the match missing several key personnel, most notably top scorer Anthony Stokes suspended after his dismissal against Motherwell the previous week against Motherwell.
They could still, however, call upon the services of former Ger, Russell Latapy, still influential at 38 years of age.
Latapy provided a constant threat from set-piece deliveries although when Falkirk nearly went in front after 14 minutes it was a Rangers player who almost found his own net.
Brahim Hemdani’s back pass skidded past Allan McGregor and seemed certain to find the net for an embarrassing own goal only for the keeper to make up ground to hack a desperate clearance off his line.
Relieved by the let-off, Rangers countered and Adam saw his shot well parried by the keeper and then dragged another effort into the side netting minutes later.
It would be the home team though who would forge in front and again Latapy was at the forefront.
His corner was met flush on the forehead by Marc Twaddle and neither McGregor nor Jeremy Clement could clear it from off the goal line.
It was the first goal Rangers had conceded in four SPL games and they came close to losing a second just minutes later when Vitor Lima’s drive whistled just narrowly wide.
Before then Novo felt he had a shout for a penalty when he was impeded by Darren Barr only for referee Stuart Dougal to shake his head and wave play on.
The Spaniard then missed two gilt-edge chances to haul Rangers level. He seemed too concerned about the presence of Lambers rather than attacking the ball when Prso’s flick on seemed to be falling perfectly for him then somehow picked out the keeper with his shot after connecting with Adam’s cut back.
Rangers were creeping closer to a goal but without possessing the cutting edge to make the breakthrough. Adam’s thunderous effort was deflected over for a corner from which Karl Svensson couldn’t direct his header on target.
Le Guen was forced into a change a minute before the break when Filip Sebo came on for the injured Kris Boyd but it did little to stop the flow towards Lambers’ goal.
As the rain continued to tumble down in torrents Rangers began the second half as they had concluded the first: in search of an equaliser.
Prso did well to round the keeper and send in an enticing cross that found no takers in the centre, the sort of position you felt Boyd would have been in had he stayed on.
It was Falkirk and Latapy who threatened next, the Trinidadian threading a perfect ball to John Stewart who skipped past a static Rangers defence.
His touch took him past the out-rushing McGregor but, with a gale at his back, the ball sped away from him and out for goal kick.
With play now almost as unpredictable as the weather, both teams sped from end to end trying to find a goal with Novo and Sebo both seeing attempts well blocked before Adam blazed an effort high over the crossbar.
Le Guen introduced Thomas Buffel for Sasa Papac and the Belgian looked lively from the off, linking well with Sebo in attack.
He should have brought Rangers level after Prso and Novo combined to send him free on goal but instead of shooting first time he took a touch allowing Lambers to close down his resulting shot.
In Rangers’ next attack, Sebo couldn’t get on the end of Buffel’s nicely weighted cross before Latapy almost caught out McGregor with a wind-assisted free kick that the keeper had to stretch back to tip past.
Rangers certainly could not be accused of a lack of endeavour but for all their effort they lacked finesse in the vital areas.
Sebo was yards away from connecting with Buffel’s thrash across goal while, from yet another corner, Karl Svensson seemed to head over from an almost improbable angle.
With Libor Sionko on for the tiring Prso, Latapy continued to menace Rangers and his fierce blast was not too far away from troubling McGregor as time ran out for Rangers.
FALKIRK (4-4-2): 17 Lambers; 5 Ross, 20 Barr, 15 Milne, 23 Twaddle; 18 Lima, 4 Cregg, 10 Latapy, 26 Craig; 19 J Stewart (Dodd 84), 8 Gow
Subs not used: Higgins, Scobbie, McStay, Uras, M Stewart, McManus
Booked: Barr (73)
RANGERS (4-3-3): 22 McGregor; 20 Hutton, 19 Svensson, 7 Hemdani, 5 Papac (Buffel 59); 6 Ferguson, 8 Clement, 25 Adam; 10 Novo, 9 Prso (Sionko 83), 15 Boyd (Sebo 44)
Subs not used: Klos, Rae, Smith, Lowing
Booked: Adam (20), Novo (29), Clement (60)