Like the first meeting between the sides, a quickfire Dunfermline double before half-time proved the Diamonds’ undoing.

On this occasion Airdrie’s misery was compounded by two further goals after the break, and a late red card for substitute Liam McStravick.

There were four changes for the Diamonds following Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Queen’s Park, defender Mason Chisholm making his first senior start while Dundee United loanee Scott Constable also came in for his debut in midfield. Elsewhere Dylan MacDonald and Chris Mochrie returned to the starting line-up after making their returns from injury at the weekend. Craig Ross, Sean McGinty, Jamie Barjonas and Cammy Cooper were the players to make way.

Keith Bray’s second-minute shot almost gave Neil Lennon’s side a dream start, the winger firing across the face of goal from the right flank and watching as his shot skimmed past the far post.

Airdrie looked bright after their early scare, Constable forcing a quick reaction from Pars keeper Billy Terrell with a probing pass on five minutes, before a defensive block denied Cole McKinnon after a Charlie Telfer free-kick had been palmed out.

Scotland U21 defender Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen blocked Lewis Strapp’s 14th-minute cross, recovering well to clear the loose ball from danger, with Terrell out sharply again to head clear from Euan Henderson a minute later.

Telfer was left baffled by referee David Dickinson’s refusal to play an advantage when the midfielder looked to be through on goal following a foul in the centre circle.

The visitors hit back through Robbie Fraser, who played an excellent pass in to Jefferson Cáceres on 19 minutes, but the Peruvian winger was unable to control.

Nurudeen Abdulai’s reactions stopped Jake Hastie taking advantage of a quickly-taken free-kick on 21 minutes, with a dangerous setpiece at the other end smashed into the defensive wall by Andrew Tod a minute later.

Matty Todd should have done better with his 25th-minute effort which he drove high over the bar, with Constable returning the favour after slipping as he shot.

McKinnon failed to get his strike on target as he stretched to connect with Chris Mochrie’s cutback after some great play by the makeshift forward, before Strapp displayed his good and bad sides within a minute, coolly heading back to Connelly after being booked for a rash challenge.

Six minutes before the break the visitors opened the scoring, a fine cross from Bray headed in by top scorer Tod.

Airdrie barely had time to regroup before Dunfermline doubled their lead, and it was Tod again who squeezed the ball in from close range after Todd had taken a ball on the chest and cut back.

Reeling from the quickfire double, things went from bad to worse for Airdrie as they were forced into three changes at the break, with MacDonald, Constable and Aidan Wilson unable to continue. Cole Williams, Jamie Barjonas and Sean McGinty were the replacements.

Three minutes after the restart Todd added to the scoreline, seizing possession after Connelly’s pass had failed to reach Chisholm, and passing into the net before the Diamonds keeper could get back.

Dunfermline sub Mason Munn, a half-time change in nets, denied Mochrie as Chisholm sent in a good 53rd-minute pass.

Abdulai sent a good chance over the top just after the hour-mark, and Munn was there again on 63 minutes, this time gathering as McKinnon tried to get a Mochrie pass under control.

Further Airdrie changes saw McStravick introduced alongside Tate Xavier-Jones, and the latter had a strike deflected over the top after linking well with Telfer on 67 minutes.

Munn fumbled a curling Henderson effort with a defensive boot forcing behind to spare the keeper’s blushes, and Connelly saved from Pars skipper Hamilton with 73 minutes played.

Henderson almost grabbed a brilliant consolation with a fine curling effort on 81 minutes, but the strike rebounded off the crossbar.

A minute later McStravick was sent off after Tod came off worst in a 50-50 challenge, with the Airdrie man’s attempted tackle deemed reckless.

Dunfermline sub Chris Kane went close twice at the death, heading just wide before being denied by a fingertip save from Connelly.

The striker did find the net with the last action of the match, bundling home from a yard out after a cross had been flicked on.

Airdrie’s search for a league win goes on, with Saturday’s vistors Arbroath buoyed by last week’s victory over league leaders St Johnstone while the Diamonds will be further depleted by injury and suspension.