Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes described his side's 7-0 win at Dundee as "a perfect night".

The Dons moved 11 points clear of third-placed Rangers with a demolition of Paul Hartley's side. Defender Andrew Considine scored a hat-trick on the eve of his 30th birthday and there were also goals from Adam Rooney, Kenny McLean, Ryan Jack and Niall McGinn.

McInnes said he was particularly pleased with how his team performed in the second half and singled out Considine for praise, though he did say the defender could have scored more.

"I never thought I'd see him score a hat-trick but he should have scored four as he missed an early chance," he said.

"It was a perfect night for him and us with the fans shouting for a hat-trick and him getting it.

"We came here hoping to carry on where we left off (before the international break) but we didn't expect that.

"We scored seven against Motherwell in February and to replicate that is great.

"We said at half-time the second half didn't need to be as eventful as the first but the second half played out the same way, which is encouraging as well."

Considine told BT Sport: "I've never scored a hat-trick before, I've scored two before but never three.

"It's a fantastic early birthday present, I thought the team was fantastic.

"We got in about them early, got in their faces and took it from there.

"The quality we have in this team is incredible, the intensity from the start was really good.

"We started that way and managed to keep it going right through the second half.

"The run we're on gives you confidence, hopefully we can keep it going now."

Dundee boss Paul Hartley admitted he didn't expect his side to collapse in the manner that they did and said his side had to accept that they were fighting to avoid relegation first and foremost. Dundee sit six points off bottom spot with eight games to play.

He said: "It was deeply disappointing. I've had to gather my thoughts to try and run through the game and explain where that performance came from and I still can't quite believe the performance tonight.

"It was so bad. As a manager you can't see it coming.

"We were just really poor. We worked all week stopping crosses coming into the box because we know Aberdeen's qualities, but we didn't do the basics - not just as a back four - but as a whole unit.

"The players should look themselves in the mirror and ask where that performance came from because we have a battle now with eight games to go and they must show their mental side now.

"I didn't see it coming. Yes, we're low in numbers but we tried to put a team together and the overall performance was shambolic.

"We have to make sure we fight for the next eight games because no one can say we're good enough to go down. That's nonsense.

"We wanted top six but we know we're in a fight too and we keep stressing that to the players as well. We told the players it would be a fight till the end of the season."