Dunfermline moved into the next round of the Scottish Cup with a deserved win over Alloa at Recreation Park on Saturday.
Pars manager Allan Johnston was delighted and relieved that his side had booked a place in the last 16.
He said: “We thoroughly deserved this win. We were by far the better side, we passed the ball well and defended well for the majority of the game.
“We had a good team performance and our attitude was first class throughout as we were expected to win this match.
“Overall I am happy with this performance and result.”
From the start Dunfermline looked the stronger side with attempts on goal from Kallum Higginbotham and Nicky Clark cleared by Neil Parry in the home goal.
The visitors took a deserved lead in the 12th minute when Parry could only push out a fierce close-range shot from Gavin Reilly. The clearance went as far as Clark, who from the edge of the box, fired a well-struck shot back into the net.
Dunfermline continued to push for a second goal and came close in the 26th minute when Paul McMullan crossed from the right to Lewis Martin but his header went just over the bar.
The Pars continued to dominate and extended their lead in the 43rd minute when a speculative cross from the left by McMullan took the Alloa defence by surprise and they looked on helplessly as the ball found the back of the net.
Alloa tried to get back into the match at the start of the second half with attempts from Kevin Cawley and Frank McKeown blocked by the Pars defence.
Dunfermline fought their way back into the match and in the 57th minute Wasps defender Andy Graham had to time his challenge as Gavin Reilly ran in on goal.
The Championship side began to dominate play again and added their third goal in the 60th minute when substitute Joe Cardle ran on to an inch-perfect pass from Clark, ran in on goal and blasted the ball past Parry.
Alloa continued to search for a fightback and scored on 67 minutes when Cawley, playing his 200th match for the home side, pushed the ball through to new signing Stefan McCluskey and, with his first touch of the ball, he fired home from close range.
The Wasps continued to push forward and they scored a second goal in the 90th minute.
Top scorer Greig Spence was on hand to slot the ball home from close range but Dunfermline held on to earn a deserved win.
Pars scorer McMullan said: “It was lucky for me and the team that the ball went in as it did.
“We had played well throughout the first half and to go in at half-time with a two-goal cushion was deserved and gave us a bit of breathing space.
“Our third goal killed off Alloa and the main thing for us is that we are through to the next round.”