Dundee were no match for a strong Dons side containing Jamie Langfield, Barry Robson and Nicky Low at Glebe Park, Brechin.
Apart from goalkeeper Calum Brodie in for Kyle Gourlay, Dundee were set to play the same team that beat Hamilton last week but a hip injury suffered by Kerr Waddell in the warm-up meant that he had to be replaced by Ryan Gemmell, with Matty Allan dropping back into his usual central defensive position alongside Ben Priest.
Attacking down the slope Dundee did well in the opening stages and, though the Dons had most of the possession, the goal threat was coming from the Dark Blues.
A great four-man move involving Gemmell, Calvin Colquhoun and Craig Wighton ended with John Black heading narrowly wide.
Colquhoun and Wighton combined again but Langfield saved the day with a fine stop from Wighton’s angled drive.
There was a further injury blow for Dundee when Lee Cameron had to be replaced by Ryan Lamond after only 20 minutes.
Young Lamond was on hand to make a great interception in his own penalty area to prevent Aberdeen taking the lead.
However the Dons were dangerous too and took the lead on the half hour mark, Cammy Smith firing in a fierce shot which Brodie got a hand to but couldn’t stop going into the net.
Four minutes later danger man Smith laid the ball back to Lawrence Shankland whose shot from 15 yards cannoned back off the post.
A minute after that Dundee were down at the other end, John Black finding Wighton, whose shot was parried by Langfield before being hacked to safety.
HT: Aberdeen 1 Dundee 0
After the break Aberdeen took only seconds to increase their lead, Smith again the scorer, this time with a scorcher from 25 yards that gave Brodie no chance. Low also tried his luck with a snapshot that went just wide.
Wighton had a great opportunity to reduce the deficit on 53 minutes when he burst into the Aberdeen box but he dragged his shot wide and, two minutes later Aberdeen killed the game with a third goal..
Priest was adjudged to have fouled Low in the box and a penalty was awarded which Smith put away for his hat-trick.
Manager Eddie Johnston brought on Liam Gibb for Cammy Black and then Max Avolio for Josh Skelly.
Shankland had a chance to increase the Pittodrie side’s lead but Brodie pulled off a good save.
At the other end Wighton tried a 25-yarder that flew over Langfield’s bar.
In the dying minutes the Dons were awarded another penalty when Brodie brought down substitute Scott Wright but the keeper redeemed himself by saving Shankland’s penalty kick.
Then there was the most amazing miss as Jamie Masson somehow managed to put his shot from three yards wide of the right hand post.
FT: Aberdeen 3 Dundee 0
Aberdeen: Langfield, Shaugnessy, Harvie, Gibbons, Rose, Culjax, Masson, Robson (Campanile 65), Shankland, Smith (Felek 70), Low (Wright 62).
Dundee: Brodie, A Black, C Black (Gibb 62), Priest, Allan, Cameron (Lamond 20), Colquhoun, Gemmell, Skelly (Avolio 70), Wighton, J Black.
Report: Jim Davie
