Aberdeen suffered a damaging 3-1 loss at Hibernian with the dismissal of centre-back Liam Scales the turning point.
The Reds were a goal up when on-loan Celtic defender Scales suffered a disastrous 90-second spell where he picked up two quickfire bookings.
Scales’ second yellow also saw the Reds concede a penalty, converted by Martin Boyle, on the stroke of half-time.
Aberdeen never recovered from that set-back and were well beaten in the second 45 minutes as Josh Campbell added a brace.
It had all looked so good early on for the Reds, as Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes had netted a superb headed goal in his first start for the club.
Goalscorer Duk’s first start was the only change to the side which drew 1-1 with Ross County in their previous match.
On-loan Liverpool midfielder Leighton Clarkson was absent at Easter Road as he served the first of a two-game ban.
Summer signing Duk had been pushing hard for a start by making a positive impact off the bench.
The former Benfica striker netted a sensational scissors kick goal against Ross County.
Duk had previously made nine substitute appearances, scoring three times.
He had netted in back-to-back games prior to the trip to Edinburgh.
It was time for Duk to show what he could do from the start.
Hibs handed Ukranian U21 international striker Mykola Kukharevych a debut against the Dons.
It was the only change for the Easter Road side with Euan Henderson dropping to the bench.
A minute’s applause was held prior to kick-off following the passing of the Queen.
An early scoring impact from Duk
It took Duk just four minutes to make an impact and it was another superb goal.
Left-back Hayden Coulson delivered a cross to Duk, who was racing in at the edge of the box.
He met the cross and sent a 15-yard glancing header brilliantly directed to the far corner. It sailed beyond helpless keeper David Marshall and into goal.
Duk had delivered an emphatic message that he is worthy of a start.
However, he was to be substituted on the stroke of half-time as boss Goodwin reshuffled his team to compensate for the dismissal of Scales.
Before this, in the 19th minute, Hibs threatened when Ryan Porteous met a Boyle cross only to head over.
Aberdeen captain Anthony Stewart was booked in the 27th minute for a foul on Kukharevych.
From the free-kick 25 yards out ,Joe Newell’s shot lacked power and was straight at Kelle Roos who easily saved.
Moments later, Newell shot tamely wide from 22 yards.
In the 38th minute, Kenneh raced at goal before unleashing a vicious 30-yard drive.
Keeper Roos did well to tip the powerful effort over his bar for a corner.
Disastrous 90 seconds for Scales
Aberdeen were reduced to 10 men and also conceded a penalty in the 44th minute for a foul by Scales on Porteous.
It was a disastrous spell for on-loan Celtic centre-back Scales as he had just been booked for a foul on Campbell.
A second yellow saw Scales dismissed and Aberdeen down a man.
Boyle sent keeper Roos the wrong way to convert the spot-kick.
Aberdeen boss Goodwin made an immediate change by bringing on midfielder Dante Polvara for Duk.
It was a blow for goalscorer Duk, who was looking lively.
Polvara moved into midfield to replace Ross McCrorie, who had to drop back into the left-sided centre-back berth.
Half-time: Hibs 1 Aberdeen 1
Hibs were making the extra man count in the early phase of the second half.
Chris Cadden fired just wide in the 54th minute and soon after Roos blocked a drive from Newell.
In the 58th minute, Roos produced a superb double save to deny Hibs.
First he blocked a 10-yard shot from Campbell. Somehow the Dons keeper recovered quickly, got back on his feet, and scrambled across to block Newell’s 12-yard drive.
Hibs were flooding forward at will and it was just a matter of time when they would score – despite the heroics of Roos.
Dominant Hibs take the lead
An inevitable breakthrough came in the 62nd minute when Campbell received a pass from Cadden before sweeping a right footed 15-yard shot beyond Roos.
Aberdeen were being ripped apart and a through ball found Newell racing in on goal.
Substitute Jack MacKenzie did well to produce a late blocking tackle.
However, the loose ball bounced across the face of an open goal.
Aberdeen were struggling to get the ball out of their own half .
Campbell nets again to punish Dons
A third goal for dominant Hibs came in the 73rd minute when the Dons failed to clear a cross from the right into the box by Kukharevych.
The ball fell to Campbell, who prodded home from four yards out.
Aberdeen should have hit back soon after when Jayden Richardson found Bojan Miovski completely unmarked six yards out.
Normally so lethal from that distance, with the goal beckoning, Miovski sliced his effort wide.
Full-time: Hibs 3 Aberdeen 1
ABERDEEN (4-2-3-1): Roos 7; Coulson 4 (MacKenzie 55), Scales 4, Stewart 5, Richardson 5 (Watkins 78); McCrorie 6, Ramadani 5; Hayes 6, ‘Duk’ Lopes 5 (Polvara 45 + 2), Besuijen 6 (Morris (78); Miovski 5
Subs: Lewis, Morris, Duncan, Milne, Kennedy, Ramirez.
HIBS (4-2-3-1): Marshall 6; Cabraja 6, Hanlon 6, Porteous 6, Cadden 7; Kenneh 6 (Doyle-Hayes 60), Newell 7; Youan 6, Campbell 7 (Henderson 85), Boyle 7; Kukharevych 6 (Bojang 85)
Subs: Schofield, Miller, Tavares, Stevenson, McGregor, Fish.
Referee: David Dickinson
Attendance: 17,292
Man-of-the-match: Kelle Roos (Aberdeen)
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