Dunfermline cruised into the SPFL Trust Trophy quarter-final with a hugely convincing 5-1 win at Arbroath.
The East End Park side ran riot in a blistering first half with a double from Matthew Todd and strikes from Kyle Benedictus and Kyle Macdonald putting them on easy street.
And ex-Arbroath star Craig Wighton added a fifth to ensure Tam O’Brien’s late strike was scant consolation for the home side.
Arbroath v Dunfermline: Key moments
It didn’t take Dunfermline long to make an impact as they took the lead inside six minutes.
A defence-splitting pass by Todd found Macdonald at the backpost and he stroked home from close range.
They quickly added their second and third goals through Todd and Benedictus.
Former Arbroath star Craig Wighton played a delicious through ball for Todd to race onto a drill home from 15 yards to make it 2-0.
And skipper Benedictus fired in a Joe Chalmers corner to add the third on 22 minutes.
Todd grabbed the fourth in 36 minutes with a looping header as the Fifers ran riot.
Dick Campbell made changes to his Arbroath side at the break. He brought on Bobby Linn, Michael McKenna and Keaghan Jacobs.
But with Wighton adding to the score from 15 yards, O’Brien’s late strike was no more than a consolation effort.
Player ratings
Arbroath: Gill 5, Oakely 5, Hamilton 5, Little 5, O’Brien 5, Gold 5, Hoti 5, Fosu 4 (Jacobs 2 (Hilson 4), Corfe 4 (Linn 5), Shanks 5, Isiaka 4 (McKenna 5). Subs not used: Gaston, Stewart.
Dunfermline: Mehmet 7, Fisher 7, Edwards 7, Benedictus 8, Hamilton 6, Macdonald 7, Chalmers 7, Todd 8, Breen 7, Wighton 8 (Tod 1), Todorov 7 (Sutherland 1). Subs not used: Little, Comrie, Rennie, Beagley, Young.
Referee: Chris Graham
Arbroath v Dunfermline star man
Craig Wighton was once a hero on the Gayfield terraces but he came back to haunt Arbroath here.
He cut the home defence open with some sublime pieces of skill and was ably assisted by pace and power in the Pars attack.
Managers under the microscope
Dick Campbell made six changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Morton on Saturday.
Cammy Gill, Florent Hoti, Daniel Fosu, Ciaran Shanks, Deri Corfe and Kareem Isiaka were drafted into the side.
James McPake brought in three players into the side that with Chris Hamilton, Nikolay Todorov and Macdonald all starting.
The fresh blood seemed to help Pars more than the hosts as they started at a blistering pace, racing into a four goal lead inside 36 minutes.
Campbell was clearly keen to give his fringe men a chance but the gamble didn’t pay off.
Man in the middle
Chris Graham barely had anything to do in the apart from note down the goalscorers and blow his whistle for kick-off several times.
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