Aberdeen took some relief from their wretched Scottish Premiership form as they overcame Dunfermline to progress to the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup.
The Dons were on top throughout and took a deserved lead on the stroke of half-time though Pape Habib Gueye, with Alexander Jensen netting a first Dons goal five minutes after the restart.
Kevin Nisbet made up for missing an earlier gilt-edged chance with a late tap-in to make it 3-0 as Jimmy Thelin’s men claimed only their second win in 16 matches – both victories coming in the cup.
There was a pre-match tribute to Jimmy Calderwood after his death at the age of 69 last month, Calderwood having been a popular manager for both sides.
Aberdeen and Championship visitors Dunfermline each made four changes from their last league matches, 2-0 defeats to Hibs and Livingston respectively.
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Dunfermline keeper Tobi Oluwayemi was first to be called into action, getting down smartly to block from Topi Keskinen after a strong left-wing run by Gueye.
As has often been the case of late, the Dons, who had not scored in the last five league matches, had plenty of possession around the area without necessarily putting enough balls into the box, but midway through the half it was a sea of Dunfermline bodies who denied them.
Keskinen did well to win the ball high up the park and should have played in Nisbet earlier, but the Dons maintained the pressure and the pair fashioned another opportunity which was blocked before Ante Palaversa fired well over.
Palaversa would provide the delivery, from a right-wing free-kick, for the opener, finding Gueye on the six-yard line and his bullet header was unstoppable.
And just five minutes after the restart it was 2-0 as Keskinen worked space on the left before pulling back. Nisbet swung at the ball and missed, but it came through to Jensen who steadied himself before angling a shot back across the keeper and low into the net.
Dunfermline had threatened on the counter without troubling Ross Doohan in the Dons goal, but the former Celtic keeper would have to be alert after 65 minute to deny Chris Kane and Archie Stevens in quick succession.
Nisbet should have ended his long wait for a goal when Gueye showed great skill to burst into the box and unselfishly play in his strike partner, but with just Oluwayemi to beat, the Scotland cap somehow managed to hit the upright.
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Dunfermline were awarded a penalty after 77 minutes when Ephraim Yeboah went down under pressure from Alfie Dorrington and Jack MacKenzie, but after a VAR review, referee Steven McLean adjudged it was outside the box, and from the free-kick Ewan Otoo’s effort was beaten away.
With five minutes left, Nisbet finally got on the scoresheet. Shayden Morris got a lucky break of the ball in getting to the bye-line, but his ball across the face of goal was gleefully tapped home by the relieved Nisbet.
