Two goals inside the opening eight minutes from red hot marksman Faissal El Bakhtaoui set them on their way before Michael Moffat and Joe Cardle made it four by half-time after Greig Spence missed a penalty for the visitors.

David Hopkirk and Ryan Wallace - who also missed from the spot - had the home side six goals up before Craig Johnston was sent off for a lunge on Ryan Williamson.

Cardle added his second with two minutes left before former Par Pat Scullion's long-range stunner for the Blue Brazil that provided little consolation for Colin Nish's team.

The Pars have now scored an astonishing 22 goals in just four matches to the delight of most of the large 4009 crowd at East End Park.

Boss Allan Johnston named an unchanged side from that which thrashed Brechin City in their League One opener and it took them less than two minutes to hit the net in this one.

El Bakhtaoui, who had scored doubles in each of Pars' previous games this season, swept home a cross from the right and seven minutes later he latched on to Andy Geggan's header that caught out the Cowden back four before rounding goalkeeper Michael Andrews to score.

It was one-way traffic as the home side pressed for more goals, and they added a third after only 13 minutes.

Moffat ran on to a ball played over the top and although his lofted effort over Andrews hit the post, he reacted quickest to follow up and net from close range.

The shell-shocked visitors did have a chance to bring themselves back into contention on the half hour mark when Nish was sent sprawling in the box by Lewis Martin, but Sean Murdoch saved Spence's effort from 12 yards.

Cowdenbeath's luck went from bad to worse just a minute later as Dunfermline broke upfield as the impressive Michael Paton found Cardle from the left, and after taking time to control, fired the ball beyond the helpless Andrews.

The Pars continued to press after the break and Wallace, on as a half time substitute for Moffat, tested Andrews with a fierce shot that the goalkeeper did well to push over the bar.

The set piece was cleared by the Cowden rearguard to the Athletic right where Williamson was covering, but the young full back was sent crashing to the ground after a reckless challenge from Johnston that resulted in a straight red card.

With the visitors tiring, Dunfermline continued to create chances and another substitute, Hopkirk, got in on the act in the 65th minute with a neat clipped finish.

Wallace made it six in 73 minutes when he latched on to a through ball and placed the ball beyond the advancing Andrews but the striker missed an opportunity to score the magnificent seventh just minutes later.

Josh Falkingham was felled inside the area by Scullion but Wallace's powerful spot kick smashed off the crossbar, leaving Cardle with the honour of grabbing goal number seven with two minutes left.

The on-song winger fired home from just inside the area but it was the Blue Brazil who had the final word as Scullion's superb 25-yard shot flew beyond the helpless Murdoch to complete a remarkable afternoon.

Pars: Murdoch, Williamson, Martin, Fordyce, Richards-Everton, Geggan, Paton, Byrne, Moffat, El Bakhtaoui, Cardle.

Subs: Wallace, Falkingham, Hopkirk, Talbot, Spence, Potter, Hutton.

Goals: El Bakhtaoui (2,8), Moffat (13), Cardle (32,88), Hopkirk (65), Wallace (73).

Cowdenbeath: Andrews, Brett, Adamson, Donaldson, Yaqub, Buchanan, Kane, Johnston, Miller, Nish, Spence.

Subs: Scullion, Milne, Orritt, Armstrong, Callaghan, Wright, Sneddon.

Goal: Scullion (89).

Red card: Johnston (59).

Referee: Greg Aitken.

Attendance: 4009.