Aberdeen brushed aside 10-man Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park with a 3-0 victory thanks to a blistering start.
Andrew Considine and Ryan Jack were both on target within the opening eight minutes as the Dons raced into an unassailable early lead.
They should have been awarded a third just before half time but referee Willie Collum failed to award Adam Rooney’s effort, despite the ball bouncing a yard over the goal-line.
Accies defender Jesus Garcia Tena was sent off after 60 minutes before Niall McGinn completed the scoring in the final stages as the Dons ran out comfortable winners.
The victory reduces Celtic’s lead at the top of the table to three points, although the Dons have played one game more.
The Dons made only one change from the team that thumped Ross County 4-0 last weekend with Peter Pawlett reinstated at the expense of Cammy Smith.
Accies stuck with the same line-up that drew 0-0 against Kilmarnock last weekend as they looked to end a six-game winless run.
Aberdeen made an incredible start to the match and were two goals in front with fewer than eight minutes on the clock.
The Dons made the breakthrough in the sixth minute when a Niall McGinnn cross was almost turned beyond his goalkeeper by Ziggy Gordon. Michael McGovern made a tremendous save to keep out Gordon’s attempted clearance but was helpless to prevent Andrew Considine stabbing the ball home from close range.
Hamilton were rattled and the Dons doubled their advantage within 120 seconds. Again McGinn was the architect with a dangerous cross into the area which was sublimely finished by Jack.
The Dons thought they had scored a third four minutes before the break when Jonny Hayes surged forward before squaring for McGinn who played the ball into the path of Rooney – his effort struck the bar, bounced a yard over the line, but referee Willie Collum failed to award the goal.
Collum again provoked the ire of the travelling support by failing to award the Dons a spot-kick after Jesus Garcia Tena wrestled Rooney to the floor but the referee instead awarded a free kick to the Accies.
Garcia Tena, booked for a foul on Hayes eight minutes earlier, was given his marching orders on the hour mark for a second bookable offence, with McGinn the victim on this occasion.
The Dons had another goal ruled out by Collum soon after with Considine’s header chalked off for a foul on Grant Gillespie.
And there was a third Dons goal to be disallowed when David Goodwillie was adjudged to have been in an offside position when he netted from close range.
But Aberdeen did finally get a third goal when Considine sent McGinn one on one with McGovern and the Dons forward slotted the ball home to the delight of the away support.
