Dunfermline failed to deal with Morton’s long throws in as they were thrashed 5-0 at East End Park.
Defender Jack Baird scored twice, as did fellow centre-back Darragh O’Connor and substitute Michael Garrity made it 5-0 with 15 minutes to go.
Dunfermline supporters rightfully made known their displeasure at the performance, many leaving when Baird made it 4-0.
Central defender Xavier Benjamin was given a torrid debut by a rampant Morton, now 12 matches unbeaten.
Morton started brighter, with Strapp’s long throws causing havoc.
From one of those, Dougie Imrie’s side took the lead through O’Connor when he tapped in Robbie Muirhead’s low cross on 10 minutes.
The Pars didn’t help themselves, playing into danger on a few occasions in their struggle to get up the park.
A Lewis McCann header was all they could muster by the 25th minute, but the striker was always stretching after a nice passage of play down the right.
Dunfermline were forced into an early change when Craig Wighton came off injured and was replaced by Owen Moffat as Dunfermline improved slightly.
On the half-hour mark, Josh Edwards ran the entire almost length of the pitch following another corner for the away side but, with a lack of options in support, his shot was blocked by Barid.
Minutes later, Baird made it 2-0. The source was again a long throw from Strapp. Deniz Mehmet did well to save George Oakley’s header but the ball was bundled in at the back post by the Morton skipper.
Just before the break, after another nice Pars passage of play, Moffat skewed Ewan Otoo’s cutback well wide, summing up Dunfermline’s first half.
Second half
It was a better start to the second half form McPake’s men but just six minutes after the restart O’Connor netted his second of the day.
Again, Strapp launched the ball into the box and after a few failed attempts to clear their lines, the Pars defence watched on as the Morton defender forced the ball in to make it 3-0.
From a set-piece of their own, Dunfermline finally threatened the away side’s goal when Malachi Fagan-Walcott hit the bar with a hooked effort, trying to catch goalkeeper Ryan Mullen off his line.
Dunfermline fans were streaming for the exits when Baird made it 4-0, again from close range, and again after a good save from Mehmet to keep out George Oakley’s original header.
McPake sent on Brad Holmes for his debut, as well as midfielder Paul Allan and after an initial spell of possession for the Pars, they fell further behind.
This time it was substitute Garrity who struck past Mehmet, rounding off a miserable afternoon for Dunfermline.
Line-ups
Dunfermline (3-4-1-2): Mehmet; Fagan-Walcott, Benjamin (Allan 58′), Otoo; O’Halloran, Hamilton, Chalmers (Holmes 58′), Edwards; Summers; Wighton (Moffat 27′), McCann.
Subs not used: Little, Fenton, T. Sutherland, Young, J. Sutherland.
Morton (4-2-3-1): Mullen; French, O’Connor, Baird, Strapp; Wilson (Bearne 78′), Power (O’Boy 84′); Blues (Gillespie 78′), Crawford (McGrattan 65′), Muirhead; Oakley (Garrity 65′).
Subs not used: Murdoch, Waters.
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