Aberdeen 3-0 Dundee

Aberdeen comfortably dispatched Dundee to move above Rangers and into second place in the Premiership.

Niall McGinn crossed for Ryan Jack to head the Dons in front just before the half-hour.

The Northern Irishman fired home a stunning volley to double his side's lead on the stroke of half-time.

McGinn made the game safe when he headed home Jonny Hayes' cross ten minutes from the end.

Mighty McGinn

McGinn was a joy to behold. The Northern Irish forward did not have much of a summer break given his involvement at Euro 2016, but he looked entirely re-energised here after the winter break.

Scott Bain had to divert one great delivery, then tipped a wonderful McGinn free-kick over the bar before he unlocked Dundee.

McGinn danced down the left, cut back, crossed perfectly for the onrushing Ryan Jack to power a great header home.

He sealed it just before half-time. Ash Taylor knocked down, McGinn controlled and volleyed straight off the post and in for his sixth goal in eight games. Truly wonderful

On-loan Celtic midfielder Ryan Christie came off the bench to make his Aberdeen debut

As was Jonny Hayes' delivery for McGinn's second, which he simply guided home with his head.

Derek McInnes will be desperate to find some way to keep this player beyond the summer when his contract is due to expire.

McInnes has momentum

Aberdeen have found consistency spanning both ends of the winter break and it's taken them into second place.

They look so strong in attacking areas and the addition of Ryan Christie will only compliment that.

The scoreline might easily have been greater, particularly when Dundee keeper Bain superbly stopped Adam Rooney's close range shot.

Confidence is high, the break looks to have helped their cause and on this form, the Dons look odds-on for a very positive second half of the season.

A late cameo for Christie only added to the positivity.

More hurt for Hartley

Paul Hartley's side were well beaten

The team sheet suggested Dundee boss Paul Hartley was highlighting a need for new recruits, with only five names listed on the bench.

He would have been heartened by some early positive play and defensive organisation which suggested they had got their Scottish Cup exit out of their system.

Paul McGowan was desperately unlucky with an instinctive first-time lob from distance which cracked the bar with Joe Lewis well beaten.

Once Aberdeen clicked though, their attacking threat, and McGinn in particular, simply overwhelmed Dundee.

McGinn's goal right before half-time made the challenge insurmountable. They never recovered.