Aberdeen 5 - 0 Livingston

Jim Goodwin named an unchanged Dons side for the visit of Livingston after last Saturday's 1-0 win at St Johnstone. On the bench, Matty Kennedy returned to duty in place of Christian Ramirez.

There were no changes for Livi either after their 1-0 defeat at Motherwell last time out.

Aberdeen looked much slicker and assured in their passing early on than they had against Motherwell a fortnight earlier and won a corner in the first minute. They kept up the pressure until Ylber Ramadani took a swing from 30 yards out, the finish not quite coming up to Leighton Clarkson's standards as it flew wide.

Back came Livingston though and a couple of defensive errors ended with Holt getting in a cross that Nouble headed over from eight yards out on four minutes.

On eight minutes, Hayden Coulson slung in a cross from the left, Vicente Besuijen's diving header putting the ball wide of goal - he might have been better to leave it for Jayden Richardson coming in behind him.

Nouble was given too much space to collect a pass just left of goal before, fortunately, he pulled his shot across the face of goal and wide on 16 minutes, but it was another great chance for the big Livi striker. The visitors were beginning to enjoy themselves as Aberdeen were looking uncertain at the back.

Jonny Hayes made a darting run into the box on 19 minutes. A shuffle of the feet left a defender on his backside, but from a dozen yards out, he got under his shot and put the ball in the crowd.

A drinks break arrived on 21 minutes - they might want to try this in February and hand out flasks of cocoa - giving the Dons a useful opportunity to regroup. But it was Livi who were quickest back into action. Holt looped a free-kick forward from halfway and as the ball drifted into the box, Obileye was allowed to run free and power in a header from five yards out, Kelle Roos producing a superb reflex save low down to his left to claw away what looked a certain goal.

A good break from the Dons opened up Livi on 33. Bojan Miovsjki worked hard to win the ball down the left before feeding Hayes. His cross picked out Clarkson at the back post but he mistimed his header back across goal and put it wide.

Livi had been pretty strong in the tackle, the firtst yellow card came out with 38 minutes had gone, Holt receiving it for taking out Coulson on the run.

A minute later, it was the red card that was coming out, Fitzwater heading down the tunnel after being caught on the ball inside the box having received a pass out from his goalkeeper. Besuijen sprinted in to rob him and then got hauled over as he ran away from Fitzwater. A clear penalty kick and the defender was off too. In the aftermath, George called for treatment as Miovski was required to wait to take the spot kick. There were no Harperesque keepy-uppies as the number nine waited calmly before he smashed the ball down the middle for 1-0.

Richardson should have had his first Aberdeen goal as the game entered added time. Besuijen speared a cross through the box to the back post. Richardson came in and from a couple of yards out, he put his shot back across the face of goal and wide of the target.

HALF-TIME: ABERDEEN 1 LIVINGSTON 0

Livingston brought on Cancar for Kelly at the break as they reorganised after Fitzwater's dismissal.

Aberdeen were almost further in front on 47 minutes. Ramadani played a ball over the top, Besuijen going on the chase to catch it. He put in a fierce cross into the six yard box, Miovski throwing himself at it but he couldn't quite get over it and ended up putting his header over the empty net. Two minutes later, Anthony Stewart headed over from Hayes' near post corner. The Dons had certainly started the second half with a real will.

Miovski did have the ball in the net on 52 minutes, running on to Clarkson's through ball and tucking his shot away, but the offside flag had already gone up. Duk joined the game on 56 minutes, a limping Clarkson making way for him.

Ross McCrorie lit the crowd up on 58 minutes, doubling the Dons' advantage. Collecting a poor clearance on the edge of the box, he took one touch before crashing a left foot shot off the bar and in for his fourth goal of the season, a ferocious finish.

A second penalty arrived on the hour. Duk darted into the box before turning inside, Cancar sliding through to take his legs from underneath him and getting booked for his trouble. Besuijen stood up to take this one and he rifled his penalty into the side netting as George went to save away to his right. 3-0 Aberdeen.

And it was 4-0 a minute later. Hayes produced a defence splitting ball into the inside-left position. Miovski galloped onto it and pulled his shot across George and just inside the far post, a lovely, clinical finish.

Montano was in the book for a late lunge on Richardson on 65 minutes, as Livi's afternoon was collapsing around them. Four changes followed for the visitors on 67 minutes. Nouble, Shinnie, Holt and Montano ended their afternoon early and were replaced by Longridge, Penrice, Brandon and Goncalves.

Following another drinks break, the Dons should have made it five, Miovski breaking free before finding Hayes, his shot at goal blocked by a covering defender. Two Aberdeen changes followed, Hayes and Besuijen replaced by Shayden Morris and Kennedy.

Coulson went down under a challenge on 77 minutes and called for some treatment to his right ankle. That was the signal for a couple more changes, Jack MacKenzie and Ryan Duncan on for Coulson and Miovski.

Stewart had a golden challenge to score on 81 minutes. Kennedy's flag kick came all the way through to him at the back post but he got his geometry all wrong and headed the ball back across goal and wide.

Aberdeen made it 5-0 with three minutes to go, a first Aberdeen goal for Duncan. Whipping in a left foot cross from the corner of the box out on the right, it curled beyond everyone, clipped the far post and was in, a moment for the young Don to remember forever.

Morris nearly made it six with the last touch of the game, heading Kennedy's header into the arms of George at the back post. Still, no need to be too greedy.