Aberdeen produced a dominant display in a 3-0 win over Ross County at Pittodrie.
The Dons, who had failed to win in their last two Premiership matches, looked sharp in the first half, and scored twice in three minutes after the half-hour mark, thanks to a goal from Greg Leigh and a penalty from Sam Cosgrove.
The Staggies were second best in every department, but Billy McKay missed a second-half penalty that would have got them back into the match. Joint managers Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson's side will now go into the international break on the back of heavy defeats to Livingston and subsequently, Aberdeen.
Story of the match
Aberdeen's recent struggles in front of goal have been a huge frustration for manager Derek McInnes, and Ryan Hedges was brought back into the team to try and provide that creative spark.
Ross County came into the match having conceded seven goals in their previous two fixtures, and it became clear early on that those defensive woes may still be an issue.
Niall McGinn blazed over from inside the area from a Greg Leigh cross, and then striker Sam Cosgrove saw his effort brilliantly cleared off the line by County defender Keith Watson.
The visitors began to grow into the game, but then found themselves a goal down after half an hour.
On 34 minutes, Ross Stewart was unlucky to be penalised for a foul outside the box, and Niall McGinn quickly found Welshman Hedges, who's deft cross was expertly headed into the top corner by full-back Greg Leigh.
The home side then pressed to add to their advantage and did so three minutes later.
County goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw clattered Lewis Ferguson following a burst into the area from the Dons midfielder, and after consultation with the fourth official, referee Nick Walsh pointed to the spot.
Striker Sam Cosgrove confidently dispatched the spot-kick to get his 10th goal of the season in all competitions.
The Staggies may have felt that they were on the wrong end of some refereeing decisions as they headed down the tunnel at the interval, but in truth, Aberdeen had been improving as the half went on.
Quick out of the blocks
The Dons started the second half how they ended the first one, and on 50 minutes they got their third goal.
Niall McGinn has been a big source of Aberdeen's goals and assists in the last six or seven years, and his cross from the left-hand side was stabbed in by Ryan Hedges at the back post from a tight angle.
The Pittodrie side were then guilty of taking their foot off the peddle, and just a minute later Ross County were given a lifeline.
Nick Walsh again pointed to the penalty spot after Belgian midfielder Funso Ojo was adjudged to have handled inside the area. Ojo protested his innocence and was shown a yellow card, although replays suggest that the former Scunthorpe player was right to feel aggrieved, as the ball appeared to ricochet off his arm from close range.
However Staggies top scorer Billy McKay spurned the chance to reduce the deficit, as his penalty struck the outside of the post.
County were denied by the woodwork once again when Ross Stewart found space down the left but saw his curling effort hit the very same post that McKay's spot-kick hit.
Cosgrove was later denied his second goal by keeper Laidlaw with a powerful drive from inside the area, as Aberdeen cruised towards the final whistle and their first 3-0 win in the Premiership since winning away at Hamilton last January.
Takeaways from the match
A more fluid approach
Fans at Pittodrie have been crying out for their team to play the kind of football that saw them crush Georgian side Chikhura Sachkhere in Europe and also serve them well in the 3-2 win against Heart of Midlothian on the opening day of the league season.
Too often have this Aberdeen side been guilty of hitting aimless long balls up to Sam Cosgrove of late, but this was not the case against Ross County.
McInnes' choice to use a 4-3-3 formation worked to good effect, with Craig Bryson and Lewis Ferguson able to link up with wingers McGinn and Hedges, and also break into areas beyond Sam Cosgrove up top.
Man of the match
Former Barnsley player Ryan Hedges was central to everything good that the Reds did in the match.
The Welshman was a constant threat coming in off the right flank and always seemed to find space to make himself available for a pass.
Not all of his tricks and flicks came off, but he was able to show some dazzling footwork on a few occasions, most notably when he dragged the ball away from former Dons defender Richard Foster, to the delight of the home crowd.
He then capped off his display with a goal, plodding home from a tight angle at the back post from a McGinn cross.
There was some bafflement directed towards Derek McInnes for leaving Hedges out of the line up in last week's draw with at Kilmarnock, as performances like yesterday suggest that Aberdeen are a far better side when Hedges is on the pitch.