Hamilton 1 - 3 Aberdeen

With the Dons still looking to start firing as an attacking threat since the winter break, Derek McInnes made three changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Kilmarnock at the weekend. Shay Logan, Dean Campbell and Sam Cosgrove all started on the bench with Dylan McGeouch, Connor McLennan and Curtis Main coming into the starting side.

Hamilton, knocked out of the Scottish Cup when they lost 4-1 to Rangers at the weekend, make six changes to their side, Johnny Hunt, Blair Alston, Sam Woods, David Templeton, Scott Martin and Marios Ogkmpoe all coming in to replace Will Collar, Lewis Smith, Andy Winter, Steve Davies, Jamie Hamilton and Andy Dales, the first four dropping to the bench.

A foul, bitterly cold evening, featuring another blustery wind sending the heavy rain and sleet blowing across the artificial surface, greeted the players and the small crowd of hardy fans inside the Fountain of Youth stadium.

The Dons were on the front foot from the off and kept Accies penned into their own half in the early minutes. It was the hosts who had the first real chance in the sixth minute though, Ogkmpoe's flick on reaching Templeton, dashing into the box. The ball bounced awkwardly and with Joe Lewis looming in front of him, he lobbed his shot over the goalkeeper but also well over the bar. Joe deserves a lot of credit for making himself big.

Aberdeen were on the break in the 13th minute, Funso Ojo winning the ball and then trying to find McGinn in the area, Gogic getting in first with an important interception. Gogic did likewise moments later to end a promising run from Matty Kennedy.

Fifteen minutes, the goal finally came and Main was the man. A beautifully judged looping ball forward down the left from Andrew Considine got Main away from his marker and in behind. Coming inside from the left edge of the box, Main got the ball under control and, with Southwood coming towards him, he lifted the ball clinically over the goalkeeper's head and in.

The Dons looked a different side almost immediately, a weight lifted from the shoulders, McGinn almost in on the end of a good ball into the box from Main. But it was 2-0 in the 22nd minute, and what a well worked goal it was.

Main and McLennan combining well from a throw-in to get the ball to Ferguson and his superb first time layoff found McGinn in space inside the box, the Northern Ireland international advancing on goal before beating Southwood with a crisp finish with the outside of the boot.

Two chances and two goals.

Hamilton didn't have their troubles to seek, Easton taking a heavy fall, landing awkwardly on the surface a couple of minutes later and despite lengthy treatment, he looked in real trouble, barely moving after he hit the ground. Fortunately, he eventually got to his feet but sadly, that was his race run, Want replacing him.

A driving run from McLennan won the Dons their first corner in the 34th minute, but such were the conditions, the wind took the ball out of play as he tried to put the ball into the box. The five minute delay for Easton's injury had robbed the Dons of their momentum though the visitors were still enjoying the bulk of possession and territory.

With six minutes added on, the Dons went looking for another goal and it came in the fourth minute of it, Considine the provider again with a terrific arcing cross from out on the left into the centre of the penalty area. McLennan darted across the face of goal to glance a clever header into the empty far corner to make it 3-0.

Despite the dreadful conditions, the Dons had played some very good football and produced some real quality in front of goal.

HALF-TIME: HAMILTON ACADEMICAL 0 ABERDEEN 3

Collar and Moyo were introduced at the break for the hosts, Templeton and Woods replaced, Accies having used all three subs with 45 minutes still to go. Four minutes into the half, a speculative Martin shot from 25 yards went well wide of goal.

Considine went into the box for a swiping challenge on McGowan in the 52nd minute, Collar's resulting free-kick well defended as Hamilton looked to give themselves some kind of hope of clawing back the deficit with a sharp start to the half.

They weren't far away in the 53rd minute, Ogkmpoe glancing a header inches wide from Moyo's cross, Considine perhaps getting a slight touch on it too to take it wide. Scott McKenna and Mikey Devlin then had to be alert to snuff out Ogkmpoe as he went barrelling through the middle.

The Dons got themselves going as a threat again, winning a corner in the 57th minute. Ogkmpoe headed it behind unimpeded and was rewarded with a goal kick for his side. The game was beginning to drift now, the Dons playing within themselves, Accies energetic but lacking any real inventive spark. Invention did come from McGinn in the 62nd minute, a cheeky cross-shot almost creeping in under the bar, Southwood scrambling to save.

The fourth goal almost came in the 64th minute, Ferguson and McGinn exchanging passes, Ferguson advancing into the box, having to stretch to shoot from a tight angle but still forcing Southwood to tip the ball behind.

The Dons were almost in again in the 70th minute, great work from Ojo first to win the ball and then to pick out Kennedy. He sprinted into the box but good defending from Gogic prevented him getting a shot away. McGinn did get his effort away in the 73rd minute, from 20 yards out using minimal backlift, the ball just going inches over the bar.

Campbell became Aberdeen's first change of the night, replacing McGeouch in the 74th minute. Almost immediately, Main was nearly on the scoresheet again, McGinn's curling free-kick from the right picking him out. He steered his header down but just beyond the far post. Main did have the ball in the net in the 79th minute but he was caught offside.

Into the last ten minutes and Logan and Cosgrove were introduced to the game, McGinn and McLennan having both made their sizeable contributions to the evening.

With six minutes left, Ogkmpoe grabbed a consolation for the hosts, Considine heading clear only for Moyo to pick up the pieces on the edge of the box and slot Ogkmpoe in to drill home with his left foot from ten yards out.

As the game entered added time, the Dons won a corner out on the left after a good run by Kennedy. His corner was caught by the wind and flew out for a throw on the opposite side, bringing the evening's proceedings to a close, the Dons running out emphatic winners.