Aberdeen extended their unbeaten Premiership record under interim boss Peter Leven with a 4-0 destruction of Hibernian.
The Dons are now unbeaten in seven league games for a points return of 17 from a possible 21.
This was also a fifth successive league clean sheet for the resurgent Dons.
A superb performance by the Reds was given added sheen by the dream debut of 16-year-old Fletcher Boyd.
The teen was introduced as a substitute and netted in injury time to complete a memorable week for the young star.
Boyd won the Club Academy Scotland U18 league title with the Dons last week.
New boss Jimmy Thelin, currently at Swedish side Elfsborg, is set to begin his Pittodrie career on June 3.
What is clear is that Leven, 40, will play a key role in Thelin’s bid to bring success back to Pittodrie.
During his time as interim boss Leven has transformed Aberdeen from a team threatened with a relegation battle to a winning machine.
Granted the games are in the bottom six, but the turnaround under Leven has been marked.
Securing Leven as assistant first team coach under Leven is a masterstroke.
Victory… but in bottom six wasteland
Aberdeen put Hibs to the sword in the capital via superb goals from Leighton Clarkson, Dante Polvara, Bojan Miovski and teen Boyd.
For all the positivity of this victory and performance the Dons effectively romped the battle of the Premiership underperformers.
Clubs with the budget, squad and fanbase of Aberdeen and Hibs should not end the season in the Premiership bottom six wasteland.
But they are and finishing best of the bottom six cannot paper over the bigger picture of a dismal league campaign.
Leven has orchestrated a resurgence of form that eliminated any threat of being dragged into a relegation play-off battle.
Now all that is left is that ‘race’ to finish seventh, a futile feat in trying to somehow diminish the level of Premiership failure.
Dons fans will take absolutely no solace from finishing top of the bottom six.
Battle to impress new boss Thelin
New Aberdeen manager Thelin, who agreed a three-year deal to boss the Dons, is remaining in Sweden until the Allsvenskan enters a summer break
The 46-year-old was unable to watch live coverage of Aberdeen’s clash as Elfsborg were in action at the same time, losing to Djurgarden.
However Thelin will inevitably scrutinise footage from Easter Road as he continues planning for his debut season in Scotland.
Many players are fighting for their Pittodrie futures in the remaining bottom six fixtures.
They will have done their cause no harm with the defeat of Hibs.
Interim boss Leven return to dugout
Interim boss Peter Leven was back in the Dons’ dugout having missed the 1-0 win against St Johnstone due to undergoing emergency surgery on his hip on the eve of the game.
Leven retained faith with the same starting XI that beat St Johnstone 1-0 to officially confirm their Premiership safety.
That meant captain Graeme Shinnie was again named on the bench.
Dons stun Hibs with superb goals
Hibs created the first opportunity in the second minute when Martin Boyle outmuscled Stefan Gartenmann to break in on goal.
Keeper Kelle Roos raced out to narrow the gap and saved at Boyle’s feet 15 yards out.
In the 23rd minute Roos spilled a vicious 22-yard drive from Myziane Maolida.
The loose ball fell to Boyle but the Dons keeper did well to recover and save his 15-yard strike.
Soon after a shot from Dante Polvara was deflected into the side-netting.
Aberdeen went ahead via a sensational goal.
Midfielder Clarkson picked up a pass from Hoilett 25 yards out in space.
He looked up, picked his spot and unleashed a sensational right-footed curling shot that left keeper Jojo Wollacott with no chance.
Aberdeen doubled their advantage in the 39th minute when the influential Hoilett pulled a pass back to Polvara from the right byline.
Midfielder Polvara drilled a superb 15-yard drive into the far top corner.
Aberdeen made it 3-0 in the 52nd minute via a devastating move as Hoilett’s low cross was dummied by Clarkson.
Debut for title winning teen Boyd
It was an inspired piece of game intelligence by Clarkson to allow the ball to find Miovski who clinically fired home from 15 yards for his 26th goal of the season.
In the 70th minute Hoilett swung in a low cross and keeper Wollacott did well to bravely dive in ahead of sub Shinnie to win the ball.
Teenage attacker Boyd was taken on for his first team debut in the 83rd minute.
It completed a memorable week for Boyd who was a key part of Aberdeen’s U18 side that won the Club Academy Scotland U18 league title last week with a 2-1 win against Rangers.
The 16-year-old was given a standing ovation by the travelling Dons fans in recognition of his league title heroics.
Boyd marked his Aberdeen debut with a goal in injury time when smashing into the roof of the net from close range in front of the Dons supporters.
The Dons fans sang “Fletcher Boyd, he’s one of our own” in unison.
A star is born.
ABERDEEN (4-1-4-1): Roos 6; Devlin 7, Gartenmann 7, MacDonald 7, MacKenzie 7 (McGarry 77); Barron 7; McGrath 8, Polvara 7 (Shinnie 67), Clarkson 8 (Boyd 83), Hoilett 7 (Duk 77); Miovski 7 (Sokler 67).
Subs not used: Doohan, Jensen, Milne, Rubezic.
HIBS (4-2-3-1): Wollacott 6; Cadden 4, Hanlon 4, Bushiri 4, Obita 5; Moriah-Welsh 5 (Levitt 60), Newell 5; Boyle 5, Marcondes 5, Maolida 5; Vente 5 (Campbell 60).
Subs not used: Johnson, Doyle-Hayes, Amos, Stevenson, Le Fondre, Triantis, Jair,
Referee: Grant Irvine
Man-of-the-match: Leighton Clarkson (Aberdeen).
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