Tim Clancy, making his debut following his midweek arrival due to the absence of Hutchison (hamstring), had the most straightforward introduction to claret and amber and he must have been thrilled with the display of his new team.
Higdon opened the scoring in eleven minutes with a fine turn and strike following good work by Lasley and Jennings. It was his first for Motherwell in the SPL - clearly the goal against Clyde put him in the mood. Humphrey gave the entire left side of the Pars' defence a roasting and we continued to run the game.
Hateley rattled the post with a 25 yard free kick, Gallacher beaten. A minute later and we were two up. Murphy darted into the right side of the box and with a little help with a deflection from Keddie found the left corner. The referee's whistle at half time came as a welcome relief to the home side.
The goal of the match arrived ten minutes into the second period. Humphrey cut in at the angle of the box, shimmied by a couple of defenders and unleashed a low drive into the far corner. The celebrations took place in front of the happy away fans.
One up after 11 minutes!
Dunfermline, though outplayed, kept at it and they got a consolation when a shot from outside the box took a cruel deflection off Cardle's back and left Randolph only able to watch as the ball looped into the net.
Murphy came close when Randolph set him up but the striker's shot from 15 yards was well blocked. The Pars were thrown a late lifeline when Craigan misdirected an attempted clearance and slid the ball beyond out 'keeper. However the wobble was immediately countered by a lovely move up the right wing that ended with Higdnon sliding in from close range for his second and our fourth.
The team got a deserved standing ovation and we go back to top spot ahead of the international break.