Aberdeen 4 Dundee 1 as second-half goal blitz sends Dons top of the table

Aberdeen have once again leapfrogged Celtic to the top of the Premiership table after a second-half blitz of goals secured their tenth league victory of the season at Dundee's expense.

The Reds were came to Pittodrie a wounded team after their 6-0 thrashing at the hands of the Hoops last weekend, but immediately looked a far better side than the one dumped out of the League Cup.

A clumsy mistake saw Dundee handed a penalty, but a Dimitar Mitov saved kept the Dons level before a rapid double from Ante Palaversa and Topi Keskinen took the game away from the Dark Blues.

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Simon Murray, who missed the spot kick, pulled one back with a glancing header, but substitute duo Vicente Besuijen and Kevin Nisbet ensured the points would be staying in the Granite City.

A frantic start saw both sides create decent chances to get on the scoresheet early doors, with Jack MacKenzie - who is in talks over extending his Dons stay - volleying an effort over the bar.

Slobodan Rubezic handed Dundee a free-kick with a big challenge on Oluwaseun Adewumi, but Lyall Cameron's ball into the area was cleared with ease.

Cameron then found Adewumi in acres of space, but the latter fluffed his lines and sent the ball across the face of Dimitar Mitov's goal.

Graeme Shinnie burst into life and fired an effort across the goal, but Dundee cleared the danger before Ryan Astley picked up the first yellow card for a cynical foul on Ester Sokler.

Another chance for the visitors went astray as Adewumi's goal-bound effort was blocked before the Reds defence closed down Josh Mulligan's rebound.

Moments after at the other end it was Duk taking aim, with his effort stopped well by Dundee keeper Jon McCracken, before again having a go at goal and forcing McCracken to parry the ball away.

Simon Murray tested Mitov after a thrilling but goalless 30 minutes at Pittodrie, with his strike forcing the Bulgaria international into a diving save.

The Premiership's player of the month for October, Nicky Devlin, was next to go into the book for a tug on the shirt of Lyall Cameron, bringing the Dundee youngster down in the process.

Then came a moment of madness from Gavin Molloy, as the Irishman conceded a penalty for hauling down Murray in the box in a position that posed no threat to Mitov's goal.

The Dons keeper however spared Molloy's blushes, as Murray's poor penalty was saved superbly by Mitov, sparking roars of relief from the sold out Pittodrie faithful.

Aberdeen immediately retaliated, but Topi Keskinen, who scored against Dundee in their previous meeting, saw his powerful effort well saved by McCracken.

Despite plenty of chances for both sides, and a penalty, it remained goalless at the break, with Thelin's men getting away with a scare.

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A quiet opening to the second-half saw little action in either danger area; Duk's dangerous run forced out of play by Jordan McGhee.

But up stepped Ante Palaversa to break the deadlock with 52 minutes on the clock with his first goal since scoring the dramatic winner against Hearts.

Molly and Ester Sokler kept the ball alive in the box, and fed it to Palaversa who smashed it into the bottom corner, giving McCracken no chance to shut his effort out.

A packed Pittodrie came to life as the fans were given far more to cheer about than the display at Hampden, as Duk once again threatened down the wing before his cross was forced off the pitch.

Leighton Clarkson's corner was perfect for Duk, who beat Mo Sylla in the air but found himself brutally unlucky as he rattled the far post.

The pressure paid off however, as Keskinen made it a quickfire double, with Palaversa's superb chip over Clark Robertson - making his first return to Pittodrie - teeing up the Finn to rifle the ball into the bottom corner.

His fourth goal for the Dons was given a look by VAR, but referee David Dickinson gave Aberdeen the news they wanted to hear, with the 2-0 lead before the hour mark leaving the visitors stunned.

Murray redeemed his earlier miss from the penalty spot with a goal on 70 minutes, beating MacKenzie to the header to shrink the deficit for the Dark Blues.

But the two-goal advantage was restored also immediately as Kevin Nisbet and Vicente Besuijen were sent on by Thelin and the pair immediately struck.

Nisbet's free-kick floated to the feet of Besuijen and the Dutchman calmly tucked the ball into the bottom corner, wounding Dundee who had clawed their way back into the game.

Besuijen had only been on the pitch for 42 seconds, and his impact was immediate, but Dundee kept coming as Scott Tiffoney tried to repeat his cross for Murray only for the ball to sail wide of the post.

Nisbet, like Keskinen, scored last time these two sides met, but his strike was denied by McCracken as they Dons entered injury time coasting to a tenth league victory of the season.

Tony Docherty threw on former Reds striker Curtis Main looking to take something from his evening, but Tiffoney would only cause him more frustration as he lashed a shot well off target.

His next effort then fired wide of the mark with just two minutes on the clock, but for Pittodrie all they could watch was the clock as they waited for the final whistle.

Nisbet did then get his second goal of the season against Dundee and Aberdeen's fourth, as in the final minute of injury time he made sure his side finished with a flourish.

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Shayden Morris found Nisbet on the edge of the box, and a big deflection beat McCracken and left him looking helpless as the five-goal second-half came to a brilliant end for Thelin and Co.

Aberdeen go into the international break still unbeaten in the Premiership with 31 points from a possible 33, and it will be a trip to Paisley when they return in two weeks.

For Thelin, this was exactly what he would have wanted after a dire first outing to Hampden, and the smiles were well and truly back on the faces of those in red.

Celtic could reclaim top spot on Sunday when they face Kilmarnock, but for the sold out Pittodrie crowd it was party time as they showed the players their appreciation for what was another Saturday evening to savour.