Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin enjoyed watching his side record another emphatic victory at Pittodrie but was quick to remind everyone that playing against ten men isn’t always that simple.

“There were times in the first half when we were a bit sloppy, and in general, we have to start games better. I feel like every game we’ve played, we’ve been slow out of the traps and we have to address that. We didn’t get a rhythm early enough, it took us 10, 15 minutes to get going.

“At 11-v-11, I thought it was quite an even game, we had some good periods, Livingston the same, but then obviously the sending off has a massive impact on how the game pans out from there.

“Playing against a man less should be easier of course, but it’s not always as straightforward as the boys made it look today and against St Mirren. The players deserve a lot of credit for the way they moved the ball, they didn’t allow the tempo of the game to drop, scored some good goals and might have had a few more. They weren’t satisfied with 2-0, they wanted to entertain the fans and it was a good afternoon.

“The performance shows that we’ve added some real quality in the attacking third. Miovski could go on and be anything he wants to be. He’s just turned 23, we made a significant investment in bringing him here but we think we can be part of his continued development and give him the platform to excel.

“He’s done that so far and I wouldn’t say he’s really up to speed yet in terms of match sharpness because he was later to pre-season. He looks like scoring every week and if we keep creating the kind of opportunities we have been, he’ll have a great season.”

Not everything that Miovski did was entirely in keeping with his manager’s plans, however.

“I wasn’t in the loop about him giving the second penalty to Vinnie and I wouldn’t have encouraged it before the game. Bojan’s our penalty taker. I love the fact he wanted to help his team-mate score a goal, but at the same time, he’s the one that should have took it.

“He’ll maybe regret it when he’s sitting at home tonight thinking he should have had the matchball sitting beside him on the couch. At the same time, Vinnie did great, despatch it very well. I don’t care who scores, but that’ll not be happening again going forward!”

Nonetheless, Goodwin is delighted that the side is now finding the best way of using Miovski’s predatory instincts.

“The guys are still getting used to each other and the patterns of play but Bojan is very intelligent in the final third. He makes some very clever runs off the defenders and the players behind him are starting to understand that and starting to thread balls through. Once he gets that side of defenders he is very hard to catch and then in front of goal, he’s lethal, very clinical.

“He will steal the headlines I’m sure but my goalkeeper makes a brilliant save at 0-0, my centre-halves were outstanding, the big guy Nouble is a real handful and I’ve not seen anyone manage him as well as Anthony and Liam. He’s Livingston’s focal point and we nullified that.

“Kelle is another who is going from strength to strength. He had a disappointing time at Derby where he wasn’t playing but we have great faith in him, as we have in all the players otherwise they wouldn’t be here. The goalkeeper is a huge part of the team.

“If you have a goalkeeper making a save like that at one den, and then a number nine like Miovski banging in the goals, it’s a good recipe to have. If we’d gone behind then, the tension can build, the crowd can get anxious, it can affect the players sometimes. So I was pleased for him and the back lads too, another clean sheet is great for them.”

Young Ryan Duncan enjoyed a. special afternoon too, coming on to register his first Aberdeen goal.

“I like to maximise the substitutions if I came and it was an opportunity to give Ryan chance to show the fans what he can do. He’s 6 feet 2, built like a proper athlete and we need to try and help him develop his tactical awareness and his all round game. I don’t think he was trying to score, but it was a great ball in and he got his first goal for the club, though Matty is still trying to claim it!

“Ryan’s another great academy prospect, and our youth scouts deserve huge credit for finding these boys. I end up getting a pat on the back for the way they’ve played but it’s the youth scouts find the guys like him, Connor Barron, Calvin Ramsay. Then I’m the lucky one that gets to give them game time.”

Attentions now turn to Tuesday night and Annan Athletic.

“Tuesday night is tough, a potential banana skin, there’s no day off tomorrow because we need to prepare properly and make sure we are ready. It’s a long trip down there, then another tough away game at Dingwall next Saturday.

“When you’re winning games and playing well, you don’t care where you go, you look forward to it. Tuesday is an opportunity to get to a quarter-final, so we have to be at our best to do the job.”