Dire Dunfermline crashed to the foot of the Championship courtesy of a humbling 5-0 defeat against Morton.
The Greenock outfit — who began the afternoon propping up the second tier — secured a precious three points after strikes by Gary Oliver, Cameron Blues, Gavin Reilly, Robbie Muirhead and a Coll Donaldson own goal.
Morton had not won a regular season league match at Cappielow since March 20, 2021.
Yet they swept aside their visitors with staggering ease.
For any Dunfermline supporters still labouring under the misapprehension that relegation to League 1 is a fanciful prospect, this was a shuddering wake-up call.
John Hughes’ side are now two points adrift at the bottom of the table. Moreover, against the outfit previously considered the worst team in the division, they were utterly outclassed.
Hughes has until the end of this transfer window to fix a fundamentally broken team.
A sole silver lining
Lewis Martin was handed a starting berth alongside new signing Donaldson, 669 days since his last appearance; a 1-1 draw at Partick Thistle on March 10, 2020.
On the day Dunfermline remembered their iconic number four — exactly 26 years since the late, great Norrie McCathie passed away — it was appropriate that the man who currently occupies that jersey would return.
Albeit, the eventual circumstances are not as Martin would have liked.
On-loan Dundee United defender Mark Connolly was notable by his absence amid a mounting expectation that he will join League of Ireland side Dundalk this month. How he was missed.
First half collapse
Morton, in their first home match under new boss Dougie Imrie, almost grabbed the lead after five minutes.
A booming long throw by Lewis Strapp found Alan Lithgow in the box, only for Owain Fon Williams to produce a super near-post block.
The Welshman was called into action again to field a low drive from distance by Blues.
Dunfermline, with one win in their last 13 visits to Cappielow prior to Saturday, fell behind courtesy of Oliver’s customary strike against the Fifers.
The former Hearts youngster lashed a stunning drive into the top-corner from 20 yards after latching on to a loose ball; his 11th goal in 22 games against Dunfermline.
An astonishing 29 per cent of Oliver’s total career goals have come against the Pars.
Blues doubled the hosts’ lead, firing a clinical finish high beyond Fon Williams from just inside the box.
And a truly miserable first half for Hughes’ charges was completed when Reilly looped home a wonderful header from a Darren Hynes delivery.
No response
Dunfermline’s response in the second period was non-existent.
Fon Williams made three fine stops to deny Reilly, Brian McLean and Michael Ledger after the break.
By the time it arrived, Morton’s fourth was richly-merited, if rather farcical. Donaldson nodded a Muirhead cross into his own net, capping a lamentable debut from the ex-Dundee United and Inverness defender.
There was still time for Muirhead to make it five, lobbing Fon Williams after springing a ragged Pars defensive line.
