Aberdeen built on the momentum of their Betfred Cup semi-final win by easing their way past Hamilton as they returned to league action.

Skipper Graeme Shinnie opened the scoring after just eight minutes, with the on-loan Manchester United striker James Wilson adding a stunning second from 25 yards.

Mikey Devlin netted the third from even further out, but was aided by Gary Woods’ weak attempt to save before Accies skipper Dougie Imrie was sent off late on.

Aberdeen were first to threaten as Shay Logan’s seventh-minute cross evaded a number of Hamilton defenders before striking right wing-back Aaron McGowan on the heel and spinning behind for a corner, with goalkeeper Woods scrambling across his goal to cover.

That corner led to a period of sustained pressure, and another corner from the left wing, taken by Scott Wright just a minute later, brought about the opener.

The midfielder picked out Shinnie, who was under no pressure as he got the ball out between his feet and sent a left foot effort inside the right-hand post.

The home side certainly looked the better side but were susceptible to the counter, and it was from such a break that the visitors came close to an equaliser, McGowan finding space on the corner of the area to drill a low shot off the base of the left-hand upright.

But Aberdeen gave themselves breathing space midway through the half. Wright was again involved, laying the ball into the feet of Wilson, who turned 25 yards out and sent a stunning strike into the top-left corner.

And Wright himself perhaps should have been on the scoresheet before the interval. Shinnie drove down the left before playing a ball in to Niall McGinn who slid the 21 year-old in, but he could only blaze over.

Shinnie had curled narrowly wide before, on the hour, Devlin made it 3-0. He picked up a pass from the Dons captain, before firing a 30 yard shot that Woods should have saved but succeeded only in pushing into his own net.

Perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise, then, that the crowd implored Shay Logan to shoot when he found himself in similar territory. The right-back responded with an effort that was almost identical to Devlin’s, but this time Woods was able to push round the post.

A snap-shot from Scott McMann with 15 minutes remaining almost grabbed Accies a consolation, the defender unfortunate to see his effort hit the side-netting.

And the Accies’ evening got worse as Imrie picked up a second yellow card for fouling Shinnie in injury time, becoming the second Accies player to see red in as many games.