JOSH Jack bagged a hat-trick and set-up four as he starred in Cowdenbeath's emphatic victory over Edinburgh University.

Calum Elliot's side were ruthless as they battered the visitors 7-1 at Central Park on Saturday.

The Uni wilted under a torrent of Blue Brazil attacks as the home side smashed in six before the break.

Whilst the visitors did pull one back after the restart, Jack had the final say as he completed his hat-trick with a stunning 22-yard free-kick to take home the match ball.

Jack was a real thorn in the Uni flesh and while he collected three and could have had more, while midfielder Lucas Berry was the engineer behind many of the home side’s penetrating charges forward.

Lively wingers Zac Butterworth and Jamie Docherty also caused Edinburgh lots of problems and laid on a host of openings in the first half.

Cowdenbeath were strong in all departments and being so far ahead at the break the Blues changed four players at the interval and still created chances, although a mixture of decent goalkeeping and some misses saw the scoreline only increase by one.

Cowden took the lead in just 50 seconds when Butterworth made a fine run into the University box and his cut back was tucked into the net by Jack from eight yards.

Jack then created the second as his free-kick from the left saw Dougie Hill roll back the years to poke home from a few yards out.

Jack almost grabbed number three after a Berry shot came back off the ‘keeper, but the striker’s effort went inches wide of the far post.

A third goal did come in 11 minutes, when the ball broke to Adam MacDonald 18 yards out and his fierce shot gave Owens Smith Samuel no chance.

Edinburgh started to get a foothold in the game but were struggling to create any chances, and in 31 minutes Docherty ran clean through and saw Samuel pull off a brave save, but eight minutes from the break the fourth came when Berry ran through to cleverly beat the ‘keeper thanks to a Jack lay-off.

Then in 39 minutes the fifth came when Samuel got in a mix-up and his attempted clearance hit off Jack and over the line from two yards out.

Both teams made changes at the interval, with the Students replacing four players but in the opening moments home sub Mikey Cunningham went close with a fierce shot and then Jack’s low drive was held by Samuel.

With 15 minutes to go Docherty came close to number seven, with a 12 yarder which saw Samuel save brilliantly.

There was a blow for Cowden when left-back Matty McDonald was carried off with a knee injury but they kept looking for goals.

The Uni never gave up though and with 86 minutes on the clock sub Joe Aitken grabbed a consolation goal.

Jack had the final say on proceedings as he struck a superb free-kick into the top corner of the net to round off a great day for the hosts.

Cowdenbeath: Hepburn; Walker (Tait 46), McDonald (Smith 53), Jordan, Hill (Duncan 46), McNab (Chalmers 46), Butterworth, MacDonald (Cunningham 46), Jack, Berry, Docherty. Subs not used: Blair (GK)

Edinburgh University: Smith Samuel, Reid, McGinley, Mail (McDonald 46), Mair, Dick, Maskrey (Murray 46), Maclean (Aitken 46), Hendry, Antoniuk (Taylor 86), Raphael (Maurice 86). Subs not used, Almass and Torrance (GK).

Referee: Jordan Curran.