Kilmarnock 0 Aberdeen 4

Aberdeen moved a point behind Premiership leaders Celtic with their fourth consecutive victory as Kilmarnock suffered another miserable afternoon at Rugby Park. Their 4-0 triumph, along with Celtic's defeat by Motherwell, was the ideal way to celebrate the 100th league game of manager Derek McInnes, which have now yielded 57 wins. First-half headers from Niall McGinn and Adam Rooney put Aberdeen completely in command and Jonny Hayes made it three with just 16 seconds played after half-time. The visitors matched Ross County and Dundee's four-goal hauls at Rugby Park this season, which were surpassed by five-star Partick Thistle last month, when Shay Logan stroked home with 10 minutes left. Kilmarnock manager Gary Locke had turned to youth following six games without a win as he brought in four players with an average age of less than 20 - Ross Barbour, Stuart Findlay, Aaron Splaine and Greg Kiltie. But they were second best by some distance. Aberdeen were missing broken-nose victim Mark Reynolds along with fellow defender Andrew Considine but Kilmarnock did not land one shot on target, although Josh Magennis came close with an early header. Aberdeen's ninth-minute opener had been coming though. Paul Quinn saw a back-heel saved before Logan and Kenny McLean missed from close range, but McGinn showed the way to goal when he headed home Hayes' inswinging cross from inside the six-yard box. Kilmarnock looked vulnerable from the flanks and McLean missed twice more from crosses, although his second effort bounced off the post after he slid in to meet Graeme Shinnie's ball. Aberdeen doubled their lead following a clinical 35th-minute break. Hayes sent McGinn away down the right and the Northern Ireland's cross with the outside of his boot was powerfully headed into the roof of the net by Rooney. The goalscorer then rounded Jamie MacDonald after being played through by Ryan Jack but Conrad Balatoni blocked his shot. Gary Locke had seen enough and removed Jamie Hamill for Craig Slater in the 39th minute but worse was to follow as the second half began. McLean's cross from the left found Hayes in yards of space and his right-footed effort flashed past MacDonald's legs. Locke's problems grew when Kris Boyd limped off with a hamstring injury. Splaine missed a free header but Rooney and Hayes had half-chances before Aberdeen made it 24 league goals conceded by Killie at Rugby Park this season. Cammy Smith's pass found fellow substitute Peter Pawlett and his back-heel gave Logan all the time he needed to slot into the corner.