Streetwise Peterhead gave a young Cowdenbeath team a real going over in the first 25 minutes at Central Park on Saturday.
With Edinburgh City winning at Clyde, the defeat plunged the Blue Brazil to the foot of the League Two table.
Jim McInally’s Blue Toon came out of the traps fast and Allan Smith converted a Jordan Brown flick inside three minutes and then got a second with 17 minutes on the clock.
When veteran midfielder Willie Gibson added number three in 22 minutes the Fifers were facing a damage limitation exercise, but the young Cowden team started to pose Peterhead problems and recalled striker Josh Morris was twice denied by fine saves by Peterhead keeper Greg Fleming.
In the second half Cowdenbeath saw Ali Smith’s effort cleared off the line by Jamie Stevenson but 14 minutes from time Scott Brown put the icing on the cake for the visitors with a fourth.
Cowdenbeath boss Billy Brown bemoaned how the experienced Peterhead side too easily carved out chances early in the game: “Peterhead are certainly the most streetwise and best team we have played in the league this season and to lose a goal in just three minutes gave us a real mountain to climb.
“Our young players had a real struggle to try to keep with them in that opening phase and we lost two goals that were disappointing to concede.
“However, that team had so many streetwise lads in it our youngsters took a long time to get to grips with the game, but to their credit we did manufacture a few decent chances before the interval.”
He added: “The second half saw us have a real go at trying to get back into the game but we missed a couple of chances and that continues to be a problem, getting the ball in the net.”
The manager brought former Hawick Royal Albert striker Josh Morris into the team for the Peterhead match and he gave an experienced defence problems and saw goalkeeper Greg Fleming twice deny him.
Brown added: “I was pleased with Josh for he posed them problems and forced some good saves from their keeper. This is something we have to build on to get the wins we need.”