Allan Johnston's men were too good for their League Two opponents as a Michael Moffat goal sandwiched either side of a Faissal El Bakhtaoui double put them three goals to the good at half-time.

Substitute Ryan Wallace added a fourth and although Martin Grehan denied them a clean sheet, the Pars could be immensely satisfied with their afternoon's work.

After impressing against Hibernian, Sean Murdoch was given the nod ahead of David Hutton in goal but he was a virtual spectator as Athletic laid siege to the Red Lichties goal.

It didn't take the visitors long to get their noses in front and El Bakhtaoui, who enjoyed another impressive afternoon, produced an excellent 25-yard finish beyond Allan Fleming into the bottom corner after being given time to take aim by the Arbroath rearguard.

That was the catalyst for a completely one-sided opening half, with Dunfermline carving the home side open time after time and Moffat should have doubled the lead soon after but hit the side net from six yards after evading the attentions of defender Graham Hay.

But he was rewarded with a goal in the 20th minute and it was arguably the pick of Athletic's four.

A great team move saw Joe Cardle chip an inch-perfect ball between two Arbroath defenders to pick out Ryan Williamson, allowing the full-back to find Moffat six yards out and make no mistake.

Cardle came agonisingly close to grabbing his first goal since returning to East End Park as his curler from the edge of the box clipped the post, but by the 28th minute Dunfermline were three goals clear.

Another well-worked goal saw Paton clip the ball into the middle of the penalty area and, with Arbroath's defence all at sea, El Bakhtaoui was there to confidently head home and kill off the tie.

Dunfermline's attacking was relentless and Paton thumped a powerful shot off the bar before Callum Fordyce was the third Pars player to hit the woodwork when he also hit the bar after Arbroath failed to clear.

The pace of Athletic's play dropped after the half-time break but Fleming had to be alert to deny El Bakhtaoui a memorable hat-trick before he was replaced by Wallace.

And the versatile forward did not have to wait long to net his first goal of the campaign as he placed a fine finish from the edge of the box into the corner of the net after Ben Richards-Everton laid the ball into his path.

The only blot on Dunfermline's copy book came in the 72nd minute when Grehan struck a consolation after they failed to clear a corner, but a job well done saw the Pars safely into this afternoon's second round draw.

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

Subs: Hutton, Wallace, Spence, Thomas, Finnie, Potter.

Goals: El Bakhtaoui (8, 28), Moffat (20), Wallace (62).