Hibernian hammered Aberdeen to give Jack Ross his third win in five Scottish Premiership games as Easter Road head coach.

It was the Edinburgh side's first win in seven attempts against Aberdeen, as Derek McInnes' side relinquished third spot in the division.

Martin Boyle's double gave Hibs a commanding lead before Florian Kamberi's fine individual goal.

Aberdeen rallied with Sam Cosgrove passing up two good chances.

But the visitors suffered their fourth defeat of the season, the reverse bringing to an end a six-game unbeaten run.

However, after suffering his first defeat as Hibs boss on Wednesday away to Ross County, Ross' side have now closed a six-point gap on fifth-placed Kilmarnock to one point.

Growing confidence in Leith

This was a fixture that Hibernian had come to dread - they had earned just one win in their previous 16 Premiership games with Aberdeen, and only one point from their last six. Home was no comfort either - Aberdeen winning in Leith on their last two visits.

The visitors, already on a high from their midweek comeback against Rangers, looked the more likely side over the opening 45 minutes.

Since Lewis Ferguson was sent off against Hibs in October, so much has rested on the 20-year-old. He was the only natural midfielder in red with defenders Greg Leigh and Zac Vyner again providing company, and he was the main driving force, burrowing his way through the middle on numerous occasions.

But ahead of him he found Cosgrove having an off day, and James Wilson, who had not scored since Aberdeen's last visit to Easter Road in May. Both were involved in Aberdeen's best chance of the half when Wilson scampered clear down the right, cut inside and forced Ofir Marciano into a save. The rebound fell to Cosgrove but his shot from close range lacked conviction and was blocked.

Hibs midfielder Stevie Mallan had an early close-range shot tipped wide by Joe Lewis, but after that the home sides' chances mainly came from the glut of set-piece opportunities, but they could not make them count.

However, after half-time the hosts were a team transformed. Scott Allan picked a hole right through the heart of the Aberdeen midfield with a sublime pass. Scott McKenna lost the run of Boyle, who slipped through, took the ball past Lewis and tapped into an empty net.

With that, Aberdeen's confidence evaporated, while Hibs' sky-rocketed. Allan began to almost taunt the visitors as he patrolled the midfield, picking out Kamberi and Boyle, who both had efforts from inside the penalty area.

McInnes made a triple change to try and get his side going, moving to a back three. But it did little for them as within minutes Boyle raced through on the break, held off the challenge of Andrew Considine, and slipped the ball under Lewis to double his tally.

Then Kamberi skipped in from from the right hand side, danced past three red shirts, and picked his spot to make it 3-0.

Aberdeen tried in vain to get a consolation, but Cosgrove's miserable day continued; struggling to get the ball from out of his feet inside the area, before heading Leigh's cross straight at Marciano.

Man of the match - Martin Boyle

BBC Scotland's Brian McLauchlin at Easter Road

Boyle's year began with a lengthy spell on the sidelines through injury, but it's ending with a bang. He is playing probably the best football of his career.

His electrifying pace will pose a problem for the strongest of defences and the only sorrow is he has chosen Australia over Scotland as his international home, as he would have undoubtedly been an asset for Steve Clarke.

Aberdeen simply couldn't get to grips with the winger and, along with Allan, the pair had the visitors' defence on the back foot throughout.

'I gambled too early' - reaction

Hibernian manager Jack Ross: "The calibre of the our goals were really good. Working on getting the balance right is the key aspect for us, and we're getting there.

"I hope they'll take belief from today. We're setting standard in training and we're setting them in games now."

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes: "I'm maybe guilty of making too many changes looking back now.

"I thought the 3-4-1-2 we went to allowed us more possession of the ball and we got into good areas, but we didn't do enough with the ball and I've gambled too early with the shape because it left us more open on the counter-attack."