DEREK McInnes heaped praised on Gary Mackay-Steven after the flying winger hit a stunning hat-trick as Aberdeen filleted Hibernian to widen the gap between the teams in the Premiership. But Hibs boss Neil Lennon was left fuming as he surveyed the damage inflicted on his side by opponents hungrier for victory and keen to underline their credentials as leading contenders for second place in the league race.

“Given the level of the opposition it may be our best performance of the season,” McInnes said. “From the first minute to the last we were tenacious, pressed the ball, were very bright and got our goals at good times.

“There were good players on show on both sides but we had the better performers on the day and the only disappointment is not keeping a clean sheet. I was very pleased with the performance and I thought our midfield three of Graeme Shinnie, Kenny McLean and Ryan Christie, were outstanding.

“Gary Mackay-Steven will be the focus following his hat-trick and rightfully so. I believe in him and wanted him here. He should watch a copy of this game time and time again as he is capable of producing that more often.”

With Shinnie settling the hosts courtesy of a sizzling 11th-minute strike from just inside the visitors’ penalty area, Hibs capitulated and handed the initiative to the home side. It brought a stinging rebuke from their manager. Aberdeen, he asserted, “wanted it more” and were “superior in all departments”.

“Cowdenbeath would have beaten us today with the attitude that we showed in the game. We were abject and weak physically and mentally and really, really poor. I’ve not seen that from my team before. It was unacceptable.

“Aberdeen bullied us and while we started off all right, as soon as we conceded the first goal we had gone and I didn’t see one spark from any player. The midfield were non-existent in terms of what I want from them as there were too many touches from John McGinn, Dylan McGeough and Marvin Bartley and no physical presence or drive.

“We were just very abject today but I have to accept that and take responsibility for that but the majority of the players are responsible for that as well.

“It’s an amazing turnaround from the way we played against Rangers in midweek and there is no excuse.”

However, Lennon chose not to point the finger of blame for the lapse in concentration that led to Mackay-Steven’s second after he pick-pocketed ex-Celtic defender Efe Ambrose as he dithered with the ball just inside his own half shortly before the break.

“Efe is the least of my worries,” Lennon said. “He’s the only one who tries to play. He’s the only one who takes responsibility. He’s been absolutely outstanding. I played him at right-back to accommodate other people and he’s done really well.

“If he’s at fault for the third goal then so be it.

“My goalkeeper [Ofir Marciano] looks short of confidence, my two centre-halves were poor, my midfield three [were poor], and there was nothing going forward. We let the malaise set in. Once the malaise sets in, a team like Aberdeen smell blood. They did their jobs very, very well. If we needed a lesson, which I didn’t think we did because there’s no over-confidence or over-exuberance from us, then it’s a harsh lesson today.

“When you come here you’ve got to compete and dig in, but we didn’t.”

The Easter Road outfit are now nine points adrift of Aberdeen, who travel to Parkhead this weekend looking to break Celtic’s stranglehold on the championship. And Mackay-Steven will try to recapture the skill and determination he showed in the 36th minute when hitting his first goal from inside the area after stumbling then regaining his balance with his rivals looking on in disbelief.

The winger’s third, a 63rd-minute shot rifled-in from the 18-yard line won him the plaudits and the man-of-the-match award and while Aberdeen’s party was spoiled slightly by Anthony Stokes’ shot that was deflected by Shinnie into his own net, he was pleased with his overall performance.

“I know the level I can get to and it’s just about consistency and about doing it week in, week out,” he said. “I want to contribute with goals and assists in my position, which I should be doing. It was a nice afternoon for me but I need to be doing that every week.”