Pars 3 Arbroath 0, Betfred Cup, Group C.

A DOUBLE from Michael Moffat helped Dunfermline begin their competitive season with a comfortable three goal Betfred Cup win over 10-man Arbroath tonight.

The Pars hitman's goals either side of Andy Geggan's strike ensured the Pars began their group campaign with a victory on a balmy night at East End Park.

Dick Campbell's visitors, who lost Ricky Little to a red card with four minutes left after a reckless lunge on Lewis Spence, made life difficult for Allan Johnston's men in the first half but Dunfermline's greater quality in attack eventually told.

With new signing Kallum Higginbotham watching from the bench, the Pars struggled to get going in the opening 45 minutes against the League Two side.

There was little to get the home fans on their feet in the opening exchanges, with a slashed Rhys McCabe effort as close as they came aside from visiting defender Colin Hamilton being in the right spot to clear as Gavin Reilly set himself up to connect with Joe Cardle's 26th minute cross.

The Red Lichties fashioned a decent opportunity moments later when Ryan McCord teed up Steven Doris, but his effort was weak and comfortably held by David Hutton.

The game turned in Athletic's favour just a minute before the break thanks to a calamitous goalkeeping error from Robbie Mutch.

A poor kick out from the young stopper was knocked into Reilly's path by McCabe on the right but, with the Pars forward still having work to do, Mutch charged out of his box in an attempt to win the ball.

He failed, allowing Reilly to skip past him and play the ball across goal for Moffat, who was left with a simple tap in.

That breakthrough settled Dunfermline who then had two good chances to increase their tally just after half-time through Moffat, but Arbroath then went close through Bobby Linn and Bryan Prunty.

Cardle was inches away from making it two on the hour when he smacked the left upright but just two minutes later, Athletic did double their advantage.

A fine move started with Reilly evading the lunging challenge of Martin Scott on the right before speeding upfield and playing the ball in to the box for Moffat, who laid the ball neatly into Geggan's path and allowed the midfield to poke the ball under Mutch.

Higginbotham was introduced for his Pars debut in the 63rd minute and he soon made a big impact, sweeping a superb cross-field pass into the path of Williamson, whose cross from the right was duly knocked home by Moffat from close range.

Cardle had the ball in the net but was flagged for offside as Dunfermline chased a fourth, but the Pars winger should have added his name to the scoresheet with four minutes left.

A precise pass from substitute Paul McMullan played him in on Mutch, only for the keeper to make an excellent block.

However immediately after Mutch prevented Arbroath losing another goal, they were reduced to 10 men when Little was correctly dismissed by referee David Munro for a reckless lunge on Spence.

Pars: Hutton, Williamson, Martin, Ashcroft, Richards-Everton, Geggan, McCabe (McMullan 63), Wedderburn (Spence 71), Reilly (Higginbotham 63), Moffat, Cardle.

Subs not used: Talbot, Smith, Gill.

Goals: Moffat (44, 66), Geggan (62).

Arbroath: Mutch, Whatley, Phillips (Malin 75), Little, Hamilton, McCord (Callaghan 75), Kader, Scott, Prunty, Doris, Linn (Thomson 75).

Subs not used: Dunlop, Gold, Hester, Gomes.

Referee: David Munro.

Attendance: 1,974.