Dons brush Accies aside

Aberdeen built on the momentum of their Betfred Cup semi-final win by easing their way past Hamilton as they returned to league action.

Skipper Graeme Shinnie opened the scoring after just eight minutes, with the on-loan Manchester United striker James Wilson adding a stunning second from 25 yards.

Mikey Devlin netted the third from even further out, but was aided by Gary Woods’ weak attempt to save before Accies skipper Dougie Imrie was sent off in stoppage time.

Aberdeen were first to threaten as Shay Logan’s seventh-minute cross struck Aaron McGowan on the heel and spun behind for a corner.

That corner led to a period of sustained pressure, and another corner from the left wing, taken by Scott Wright just a minute later, brought the opener.

The midfielder picked out Shinnie, who was under no pressure as he got the ball out between his feet and sent a left foot effort inside the right-hand post.

McGowan found space on the corner of the Dons’ area to drill a low shot off the base of the left-hand upright but Aberdeen gave themselves breathing space midway through the half.

Wright was again involved, laying the ball into the feet of Wilson, who turned 25 yards out and sent a stunning strike into the top-left corner.

Shinnie had curled narrowly wide before, on the hour, Devlin made it 3-0. He picked up a pass from the Dons captain, before firing a 30 yard shot that Woods should have saved but succeeded only in pushing into his own net.