The home side were without six players and Arbroath took the upperhand with a Jay Stein effort which was watched all the way by Scott Morrison.
They took the lead in 18 minutes when Steven Rennie's long throw was touched on by former Fifers favourite Stein who cracked a low drive into the bottom corner.
Gavin Swankie showed some clever touches but missed an open goal on the stroke of half time.
Kerr Dodds and Morrison assumed the ball would run out but Stein kept it in and squared for Swankie who somehow missed the target.
The striker made amends in 50 minutes with a fierce free-kick but Morrison just managed to touch his effort over the bar and from Stein's corner Jamie Bishop stole in at the back post to put the ball over the line.
Stein almost grabbed his second in 61 minutes after jinking between two defenders but Morrison raced out to smother.
Joe Savage was sent off in 74 minutes for a second bookable offence and stupidly pushed referee Richie Winters before going off.
The ten men conceded a third goal in 81 minutes when Stein's shot was saved but sub Nicky Smith netted the rebound.