DUNFERMLINE boss James McPake said he had no complaints about the final outcome after watching his side crash out of the Scottish Cup.

Fife derby rivals Raith Rovers advanced to the fourth round thanks to a ruthless 3-0 success at KDM Group East End Park last night, which handed them a third successive victory against the Pars.

Jack Hamilton's first half opener was added to by Sam Stanton - who scored the winner in each of the previous two derbies - and Lewis Vaughan in five second half minutes.

Ian Murray's Rovers also struck the post and the bar either side of half-time as Athletic, who have now one just once in seven games across all competitions, exited the cup at the first hurdle for the fifth time in the last six seasons.

READ MORE: Pars suffer Scottish Cup derby exit to ruthless Raith

"I think the scoreline reflects exactly what we deserved out the game. Raith were the better team on the night," McPake said.

"I've been the one that's maybe stood here a couple of times, here and at Stark's Park, and said we didn't get out the game what we probably deserved, but certainly tonight we got exactly what we deserved."

McPake's opposite number Murray discussed his side's formation during the game - which he said was a 3-6-1, intended to try and create more opportunities than they had in previous derbies - and he thought that it "spooked" the Pars.

"The performance wasn't great but credit to them. Look, they came, they changed their formation, whether that was due to injury or what they've seen against us, and I can't stand here and say it didn't work, because it did," McPake said in response.

"It gives us something to go and look at, but that's why myself, Dave, the rest of the coaching staff, that's on us as much as anybody, when you see a team come and play a different formation.

"I wouldn't say it spooked us, because Inverness played with the back three, and it was slightly different, the way Inverness did it than Raith, so I think credit has to go to Raith for that.

"As a coaching staff, we should've identified it. We should've got it better. The change of shape was maybe too late. By that point, we were a goal down, and we dropped Joe (Chalmers) back in.

"There's lots. I'll need to watch it back and analyse that but, again, it's goals you concede, and I just thought we were sloppy in terms of our use of the ball all over the pitch all night.

"It's a mixture of both, but I think a lot of credit has to go to Raith for the way they came and did play, particularly with changing that, because it's not easy to go into a back three against a team that it normally does work pretty well for.

"Credit to them for that."

Rovers netted their second goal little more than 10 minutes after key attacking players, Matty Todd and Kane Ritchie-Hosler, had been introduced from the Pars bench.

That had given them a bit more momentum, and pressure in the attacking area, without really testing Raith keeper, Kevin Dabrowski, who saved a late Lewis McCann penalty for good measure.

"For as much as I don't think we were great, or competing at all in the game, in terms of asking their goalkeeper to make too many crucial saves early in the first half, or the first half in general, we were probably happy to get in at 1-0 at half-time," McPake continued.

"They had the other one, I think it's Easton, hits the post, puts it by the post, but they had another couple of chances where you think right, get in, regroup, get the changes on, and I think if we get the next goal we've got a chance here.

"Again, the second goal's always crucial. It gave them the wee cushion and, again, until I see the game back, it's tough to comment.

"But the better team won on the night and that's disappointing."

Raith boss Murray said: "It was a 3-6-1 (formation). We had to do something to try and create more chances against Dunfermline. We found it tough the last few games and the games have been cagey. They don't need to be because we've got so many good players.

"Sometimes you are forced with missing players. We thought Liam Dick was going to be fit until yesterday but he wasn't.

"Scott McGill and Dylan Corr are just back in training and we've thrown Dan O'Reilly in. The boys adapted to it really well.

"I asked for the players' input on the formation and I think when I explained why and how it could work, they all bought in and gave it everything.

"Rangers played it under Walter Smith, normally away from home in Europe when they got to the final [of the Uefa Cup in 2008].

"You always try to take little titbits from manager's like Walter and it's one that always stuck with me. I've only played it once before, both times at Airdrie. One time was absolutely horrific... chaos.

"The other time it was really good, but you need the players and the players to understand it. They understood it tonight, that's for sure.

"I wasn't trying to be smart, I was just trying to impose ourselves in the game more. I think it spooked them a little bit and I don't think they recovered from it.

"I knew when they saw the teamsheet they wouldn't know what we were doing - we didn't know what we were doing until yesterday.

"The players deserve all the credit, they have to go out and do it."