FALKIRK defender Kenny Milne says adapting to the conditions was key to the Bairns storming to their second convincing win in a week.
The freescoring home side sped into an early lead through the outstanding Pedro Moutinho before further goals either side of the break from Graham Barrett and Michael Higdon sealed the points.
Next up are champions Celtic at Parkhead on Tuesday and Milne insists in this kind of form his side are confident of getting a result.
He said: "The conditions were poor so we adapted our game plan to accommodate them and elected to get the ball forward quickly.
"It was going to be hard to follow up last week's 5-1 win at Love Street but we're full of confidence and are looking to Tuesday."
The game was less than five minutes old when Bairns cashed in on dozy defending from the away side to take the lead.
Darren Barr's lofted pass beat both Darren Dods and LeeWilkie while Moutinho kept himself onside to poke the ball under the body of Gregorz Szamotulski.
The goal set the tone for the opening 20 minutes with the home side full of confidence and United offering little going forward.
A super tackle by Wilkie denied Scott Arfield after an enterprising burst by the young midfielder with Michael Higdon nodding Graham Barrett's cross wide seconds later.
United skipper Barry Robson created his side's first real chance midway through the half but Jordan Robertson could only head his free kick over the bar.
The Arabs' suspect offside trap failed again when Arfield's freekick picked out Barr in the box but the defender may look back and think he had time to control rather than volley straight into the hands of the grateful Szamotulski.
Craig Levein's men gradually imposed themselves on the game and should have levelled after 25 minutes when Sean Dillon headed another Robson inswinger over from just three yards out.
They came even closer just after the half hour when Mark Kerr's 22-yard shot cannoned off the face of the bar with Tim Krul beaten.
Krul then tipped a Morgaro Gomis shot round the post as United used the strong wind to their advantage.
But all that good work was undone four minutes from the break when Falkirk doubled their lead. Captain Patrick Cregg fed Higdon on the right and his low cross was turned in at the near post by Barrett.
Moutinho curled a shot over and had another saved shortly after the second half started before Noel Hunt headed Willo Flood's cross wide at the other end.
That was to prove United's last realistic chance of getting back into the game as Falkirk killed the tie with a super third after 66 minutes.
Steven Thomson was decked as he found Barrett on the right but Mike McCurry gave the home side the advantage and they used it to good effect as Higdon nodded home his strike partner's cross.
That freed the Bairns to turn on the style with Dean Holden and Moutinho neatly setting up the superb Arfield for what would have been a candidate for goal of the season had he not shot wide.
The visitors' day was summed up when Hunt's drive ricocheted off Krul to safety when on another occasion it might have gone in. A day to forget for Levein but one to saviour for John Hughes.
MATCH STATS
SHOTS ON 8
SHOTS OFF 7
OFFSIDE 3
FOULS 12
CORNERS 3
BOOKINGS 0
SHOTS ON 3
SHOTS OFF 8
OFFSIDE 1
FOULS 12
CORNERS 6
BOOKINGS 0
REF WATCH
MIKE McCURRY has both sets of players to thank for giving him a relatively easy afternoon's work. In completely horrendous conditions there were some meaty challenges flying in but no dirty ones and McCurry used common sense to let the game flow where possible. It was an assured display from the whistler. Rating 8/10.
