A stirring second half performance from East Fife allowed them to gain all three points at Cliftonhill Stadium - and Albion Rovers will have to try harder if they want to gain anything from their season.
The Wee Rovers got off to the best possible start and were one-nil up after only two minutes. A tempting free-kick from Steven Noble on the right-hand side allowed George Wallace to outjump the visiting defence and powerfully head home from six yards.
East Ffife should have levelled the tie six minutes later after a scrappy corner found John Bradford two yards out. His scuffed shot was cleared off the line by Gordon Lennon.
The visiting side did have the ball in the net after 42 minutes when Greig McDonald picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net.
Rovers should have again gained the ascendancy when Stephen Donachy tried the deftest of lobs from 20 yards, only to see his shot come back off the bar.
The Fifers took three minutes to respond, and took the lead in bizarre circunstances when Donachy and Craig Smart entered a 50-50 challenge on the touchline. The ball looped into the air, over the head of Jamie Ewings in the Rovers goal, and into the back of the net.
East Fife made it 3-1 five minutes later due to a superb counter attack. Paul Hampshire sent a sweeping cross into the box for John Bradford to slide in and score against his old club.
Rovers thought they had gained a lifeline when a cross from the right-hand side was met by a superb header from Donachy to pull a goal back, but Greig McDonald ruined Rovers' comeback with the second goal of the game as he rose at a corner to head home from eight yards.