Sunday 4 October 2015 09:17, UK
Aberdeen's unbeaten home record was torn to shreds as St Johnstone strolled to a one-sided 5-1 victory at Pittodrie.
After opening their Scottish Premiership campaign with eight straight wins, the Dons have now lost two in a row as Saints claimed their first away points in spectacular style.
Aberdeen, who could boast of a 100% home record going into Saturday's game, fell behind after just five minutes when Brian Easton found the top corner with a stunning 25-yard volley.
It was only the second goal conceded by the hosts at Pittodrie this season, and it got worse a few minutes later when Joe Shaughnessy made it 2-0.
The defender was in the right place at the right time to fire home on the rebound from close range, after a Steven McLean header had struck a post following a free-kick.
Yet the Dons reduced the deficit in the 12th minute when Niall McGinn's corner was met by Ash Taylor whose header nestled in the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
But back came the visitors on the half-hour mark with Liam Craig's deflected effort from 12 yards restoring St Johnstone's two-goal advantage.
It did not get any better for the Premiership pacesetters in the second half, as Saints added two more goals from MacLean inside six minutes.
First, he glanced home Simon Lappin's corner at the near post on 47 before using his head once more to nod home another from close range when he met a Graham Cummins corner.
That was the end of it with regards to goals for the remaining 39 minutes on the east coast, all of which leaves Aberdeen four points clear of Celtic who travel to Hamilton on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Partick Thistle moved off the bottom of the table with their first victory of the season, as the Jags beat Dundee United 3-0 at Firhill.
The result sends the Terrors bottom of the table and ends Partick's run of five straight league defeats.
The hosts went ahead on 15 when Callum Booth's cross was misjudged by visiting keeper Luis Swick, leaving David Amoo with the easy task of nodding the ball home from close range.
And Thistle continued to dominate and should have extended their lead before the break: First Swick brilliantly saved Sean Welsh's free-kick - which appeared to be heading for the top corner - while a Daniel Seaborne header from the resulting corner struck a post.
The second Partick goal arrived 10 minutes after the break via another Swick error, with the keeper allowing Mustapha Dumbuya's apparent low cross to sneak its way into the net.
The Jags made the points safe midway through the second half as Mathias Pogba found Stuart Bannigan whose effort from 12 yards took a deflection past a helpless Swick.
And in the Highlands Derby, Inverness grabbed the spoils at Victoria Park where the visitors overcame Ross County 2-1.
After Michael Gardyne had missed a great chance to fire County ahead in the 19th minute, when he volleyed over from six yards, Caley Thistle took the lead against the run of play.
With 42 minutes on the clock, Miles Storey latched on to Liam Polworth's assist to open the scoring from inside the box and three minutes later James Vincent headed inverness further ahead from close range.
County pulled one back in the first minute of second half injury time when Liam Boyce headed home from six yards but by then it was too little, too late - although the hosts remain fifth in the table.
Elsewhere, Conrad Balatoni netted a 79th minute equaliser for Kilmarnock who grabbed a point in a 1-1 draw against Hearts at Tynecastle.
His low strike from 10 yards secured his first goal for Killie and made up for giving a penalty away shortly before half-time.
Hearts, who dominated both possession and shots on goal during the first half, took a deserved lead from the spot after Balatoni fouled Osman Sow, and Jamie Walker lashed the ball into the top-left hand corner.
And before the half-time whistle could be blown, Sam Nicholson almost extended Hearts' lead. First, he forced Jamie MacDonald into making an excellent save before blasting an effort into the side netting.
MacDonald would deny Nicholson once more after the break, before the hosts were made to pay for failing to take advantage of their superiority as Balatoni secured a point for the visitors.
And Hearts also ended the afternoon with 10 men after Gavin Reilly was shown a red card for retaliating with 91 minutes on the clock.
In the day's other game, Dundee edged past Motherwell 2-1 at Dens Park where all three goals came in the second half.
Rory Loy opened the scoring on 58, back-heeling home Riccardo Calder's assist before the Dark Blues added a second 12 minutes later through Kevin Holt whose free-kick located the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Stephen Pearson pulled a goal back seven minutes from time with a deflected effort but it was not enough to prevent Dundee from beating Motherwell for a fourth straight time.
