Aberdeen crushed Hibernian with a rampant first-half display to move four points clear of Kilmarnock at the foot of the Premier League table and close the gap on eighth place Dundee to just one point.

Goals from Arild Stavrum, Cato Guntveit and Russell Anderson wrapped up the points at the interval before Stavrum added another after the break to record the Dons' biggest home win of the season and stretch their unbeaten run to an impressive eight games.

Stavrum is clearly relishing his role as number one striker in the absence of injured Scotland international Eoin Jess after his arrival from Norwegian club Helsingborgs in November.

Ebbe Skovdahl's side took time to really get going with their defence looking nervous in the opening stages while 21-year-old Moroccan midfielder Rachid Belabed was making his first start for the club.

Hibernian welcomed back Tom Smith and Franck Sauzee and the visitors made the better start.

In the fifth minute Grant Brebner blazed wide from just wide of the box. Then Paul Hartley's cross picked out Ian Murray who headed tamely wide of the mark.

Aberdeen came back into it and in the 13th minute Stavrum should have done better went through on goal from Paul Bernard's through-ball but he dragged his effort wide.

Moments later, Stavrum played Belabed through but the little Moroccan fired into the side-netting from a tight angle.

But Aberdeen were threatening to score and did go ahead in the 18th minute when the impressive Stavrum finished off a good move involving Derek Whyte and Andy Dow.

Then moments later Jim Leighton kept the home side's lead intact with a stunning save at full stretch, low to his left to deny Sauzee's curling 20-yard free-kick.

But Aberdeen knew that they could not relax with busy striker Kenny Miller in attack.

The highly-rated youngster was unlucky in the 25th minute when he nipped in just before Leighton from Brebner's through-ball, but took it just too far and the angle was just too tight for him to score.

Leighton and Whyte collided in the incident and the veteran goalkeeper was forced to leave the field with what looked like concussion. He was replaced by David Preece.

This did not affect the home side and in the 29th minute Robbie Winters ran onto Guntveit's throw and burst into the area, but was unable to keep control of the ball and Hibs keeper Nick Colgan came racing out to gather the ball.

However, on the half-hour Aberdeen doubled their advantage following a brilliant move as Stavrum's perfectly-weighted cross was directed past Colgan by Gunzeit's shot into the ground.

Preece was called into action for the first time with two minutes until the interval when he palmed away Derek Collins' swirling cross from underneath the upright.

But a minute later Aberdeen virtually wrapped up the points with a carbon copy move of the two previous goals when Russell Anderson converted Dow's centre from six yards with the Hibs defence asleep as the defender celebrated his first goal this season.

It was much the same story after the restart and amazingly just 35 seconds into the second period Stavrum scored his second of the afternoon.

Belabed's corner was headed on by Whyte and the Norwegian star had the easiest of tap-ins for his seventh goal of the season.

The visitors looked well beaten but they injected new life in the 57th minute when Earl Jean came on for the ineffective Paul Hartley.

But Aberdeen striker Stavrum was hungry for his hat-trick.

He was given a sniff of a chance to grab his treble in the 62nd minute when Belabed dispossessed Collins and he sent substitute Kevin Rutkiewicz down the left. He found Stavrum in the centre and the striker tried to chip the keeper but Colgan made a great save to deny him.

A minute later Hibs produced their first real piece of football as Collins gave Brebner a great opportunity of a consolation goal but he headed just wide of the post.

Aberdeen eased off towards the end of the game and Hibs striker Miller blazed wide from just inside the area to sum up his and the Easter Road side's dismal day.

Aberdeen however, were well worth the victory and now look anything but a relegation side - Kilmarnock, Dundee and even Hibernian beware.

Teams:

Aberdeen: Leighton (Preece 27), Anderson, Whyte, Solberg, McAllister, Bernard, Guntveit, Belabed, Dow,Winters (Rutkiewicz 46), Stavrum.

Subs Not Used: Perry, Mayer, Clark.

Goals: Stavrum 18, Guntveit 30, Anderson 44, Stavrum 46.

Hibernian: Colgan, Collins, J. Hughes, Jack, Smith, Hartley (Jean 57), Sauzee, Brebner, Murray (Lovell 46),Paatelainen, Miller.

Subs Not Used: Gottskalksson, McIntosh, Lovering.

Booked: Brebner.

Att: 12,625

Ref: Willie Young (Scotland).