SPL: Aberdeen 4 Partick Thistle 0

Derek McInnes' side are four points behind leaders Celtic, and kept a fourth consecutive clean sheet to round off a fine display.

Partick goalkeeper Scott Fox will have entered the game in buoyant mood after receiving his first Scotland call-up earlier in the day and he reaffirmed his international credentials with a fine flying stop to keep Calvin Zola's 16th-minute volley out.

But he could do nothing to prevent Aberdeen taking the lead 10 minutes later as Niall McGinn curled an inch-perfect free-kick over the wall and into the net from 20 yards.

The hosts doubled their lead six minutes from half-time as Zola converted Peter Pawlett's drilled left-wing cross from inside the six-yard box.

Partick pushed forward after the break, but the were caught with a sucker-punch on 64 minutes as Michael Hector found space on the edge of the area and lashed an unstoppable shot across Fox.

Kallum Higginbotham almost reduced the deficit direct from the kick-off, but his effort from inside his own half crashed off the crossbar.

Hector turned provider with four minutes to go as he burst down the right before crossing to McGinn, who volleyed home to cap a magnificent evening.