Dunfermline cruised to another comfortable victory over Motherwell at East End Park with strikes from Andrius Skerla, Gary Mason and Lee Bullen.

But a late consolation from Fir Park striker James McFadden ended a run of five games without conceding a goal for the Pars.

Both sides started nervously and it took until the seventh minute for an incident of any note to occur.

Dunfermline defender Justin Skinner needlessly headed out for a corner and, from the resultant kick, Motherwell launched men into the box but referee Stuart Dougal spotted an infringement and awarded a free-kick against Karl Ready for pushing.

Motherwell defender Ready was again involved later when he launched a wild challenge on Bullen.

However, with the Pars retaining possession, the official sensibly waved play on, but they failed to make the advantage count.

The Pars created the first real chance of the game and Bullen should have opened the scoring.

Stewart Petrie crossed from the left to the back post for Bullen but the player could only get a toe to the ball.

The Motherwell defence, who had remained static throughout, managed to re-group and clear the ball to safety.

However, only a minute later, the deadlock was broken.

A free-kick from Petrie from the right was bundled into the net by Skerla who managed to find room in a packed Motherwell penalty area.

Dunfermline's passing game was beginning to pick holes in the Motherwell defence as they piled forward in search of a second goal.

The home side's pressure nearly paid off in the 35th minute when Petrie once again found space on the left.

He whipped over a cross into the box and found Bullen but the striker could only shoot wide with his volley.

Mason doubled the Dunfermline lead in the 49th minute with a superb drive from 25 yards.

The midfielder, who scored the winner last week at St Johnstone, picked the ball up after good work by Crawford and unleashed a low drive past the despairing Woods.

Motherwell captain Scott Leitch began to show his frustrations and was booked for a reckless challenge on Michael Panopoulos.

The Motherwell player appeared to lead into the challenge with his elbow and was lucky that referee Dougal did not take a dimmer view of the incident and issue him with a red card.

Fir Park boss Black gave Lehmann his debut after 55 minutes when he brought the German on to replace Stephen Pearson.

The third goal came through a good combination between Panopoulos, MacPherson and Bullen.

Panopoulos played a delightful little chip through to MacPherson on the angle of the box.

The former Kilmarnock man drove low across the six-yard line for Bullen, who managed to reach the ball in time and turned it into the net.

Panopoulos was unlucky not to have opened his account for the club minutes later when his drive from 30 yards narrowly missed the top left-hand corner.

Jimmy Calderwood was satisfied with his recent signing and replaced him almost immediately to a standing ovation from the home fans.

David Nicholls was the player Calderwood introduced as he sensed the game was won.

Black tried to invigorate his side by making another substitution withdrawing Soloy in favour of Stephen Nicholas in the 72nd minute.

Petrie was removed for McGroarty in the 75th minute by Calderwood as he looked to freshen his side up for the closing stages of the game.

Motherwell scored a late consolation through McFadden.

The youngster latched onto an Elliott pass and steered the ball past Ruitenbeek - his first goal conceded in over 500 minutes of football.

Well continued to rally and were unlucky not to have got another goal back through McFadden.

The youngster danced past two Pars defenders in the box and got a powerful low shot in on goal. Unfortunately for him Ruitenbeek was on hand to block with his feet.

Teams:

Dunfermline: Ruitenbeek, MacPherson, Skinner, Skerla, Scott Thomson, Mason, Nicholson, Panopoulos (Nicholls 64), Crawford, Bullen, Petrie (McGroarty 75).

Subs Not Used: Scott Y Thomson, Hampshire, Kilgannon.

Booked: Panopoulos.

Goals: Skerla 25, Mason 49, Bullen 59.

Motherwell: Woods, Soloy (Nicholas 72), Hammell, Ready, Strong, Deloumeaux, Leitch, Pearson (Lehmann 56), Lasley, McFadden, Elliott.

Subs Not Used: Brown, Corrigan, Martinez.

Booked: Leitch, Lasley.

Goals: McFadden 77.

Att: 4,280

Ref: S Dougal (Scotland).