The opening quarter went by with most of the play being contested in midfield. Elgin began to get on top, and after 18 minutes Martin Harty's strong run and shot saw him just miss the target.
Elgin got a wake-up call when Cowdenbeath's first attack saw Kieron Renton flapping at a cross, but somehow Chris Newall headed over.
Dene Shields was next to threaten, and when the Elgin defence backed off his shot from 20 yards produced a good save from Renton.
Cowdenbeath took the lead just before half-time when Darren Gribben picked up the ball wide on the right-hand side before cutting in and drilling a low effort from the edge of the box past a helpless Renton.
Elgin would have felt hard done by going in at half-time 1-0 down as there was nothing to separate the two teams.
Cowdenbeath doubled their advantage in the 55th minute thanks to a second goal from Gribben. With Elgin pushing for the equaliser they were hit on the counter-attack. Shields had pulled out wide and his teasing cross found Gribben arriving unmarked at the back post to tap home.
Minutes later Gribben almost completed his hat-trick with the Elgin defence again failing to put pressure on the Cowdenbeath players.
Elgin came close to pulling a goal back when the ball was worked well in midfield to Hugh Dickson who cut in on his unfavoured left foot and forced a good save from Andrew Carlin, who for most of the match was a virtual spectator.
Cowdenbeath wrapped up all three points when Elgin gave away possession to Newall who put through Shields, and he cooly kept his composure to slide the ball past Renton from 15 yards.
Gribben completed his hat-trick in the 73rd minute when he found himself in yards of space with only the goalkeeper to beat. Gribben composed himself and cheekily lobbed the ball over Renton to make it 4-0.
Cowdenbeath thoroughly deserved the victory with Elgin putting up hardly any fight.