Dundee United enacted revenge on Queen of the South as they cruised to a 3-0 win to go nine points clear at the top of the Championship.
The Terrors maintained their 100% home record this season, as Paul McMullan, Nicky Clark and Sam Stanton all got on the scoresheet to avenge the 4-0 loss to Queens in Dumfries last month.
The victory takes the league-leading Tangerines nine points ahead of Ayr United at the top of the table as Robbie Neilson’s men enter a free week.
With Lawrence Shankland on Scotland duty, United were forced into one change from last week’s derby win, with Stanton coming in.
The Terrors got to work early with Louis Appere having the first real chance of the game in the opening minute.
McMullan raced past the entire Queen of the South defence before cutely laying in Appere, who saw his shot deflected behind for a corner.
On three minutes, Stanton curled over before Stephen Dobbie raced up the other end for Queens but fired straight at Benjamin Siegrist.
Appere again came close four minutes later, this time haring on to a lofted through ball from Ian Harkes before being charged down by Queens keeper Robby McCrorie.
In the melee Doonhamers defender Lee Kilday came off worse and had to make way for Callum Semple on 18 minutes.
Harkes was next to try to threaten the away goal but his effort sailed way over McCrorie’s crossbar.
However, United didn’t have to wait long for the opener as McMullan notched his third goal of the season on 22 minutes on his 100th appearance for the club.
Harkes’ ball over the top was picked up on by Appere who jinked his way into the box and teed up McMullan to coolly stroke home into the bottom corner.
On 32 minutes, the visitors thought they’d got back into it when Connor Murray smashed the ball beyond Siegrist but his effort was correctly ruled out for offside.
Appere showed terrific individual skill on 36 minutes to, once again, weave his way into the box but didn’t release the ball quickly enough and saw his shot roll wide.
Just before the half, United made it two as Clark raced on to McMullan’s slipped pass to send McCrorie the wrong way for his fourth of the season.
And, shortly after the restart, it was Stanton making it 3-0 to Robbie’s lads.
The midfield man waltzed through the Queens defence and slotted beyond McCrorie with such ease it was clear the game was over as a contest as the Terrors pushed for more.
Yet more gorgeous build-up play between Stanton, Appere and Clark laid in McMullan with a terrific chance to make it four but he could only crash his drive into the side netting on 62 minutes.
Three minutes later, after Harkes won the initial free-kick, Clark curled his set-piece from 20 yards just wide.
On 71 minutes, Siegrist had to stoop to pull off a smart save from a long-range Dobbie drive as the Dumfries side threaten to spring into life.
Both Liam Smith and Siegrist had to be alive to deny two Daniel Pybus digs moments later before Darren Brownlie nodded wide from corner.
In the closing moments, Appere tried to make it four but fizzed wide as United comfortably saw the match out they dominated from start to finish.
Dundee United XI (4-2-3-1): Siegrist (GK); L Smith, Watson, Reynolds (C) Robson; Butcher, Harkes; McMullan (Mochrie 85), Clark (C Smith 72), Stanton (Chalmers 78); Appere.
Subs not used: Deniz (GK), Sporle, Connolly, King.
Queen of the South XI (4-4-2): McCrorie (GK); Mercer, Kilday (Semple 18, replaced by McCarthy 58), Brownlie, Holt; Murray, Pybus, Kidd, Lyon; Dobbie (C), Oliver.
Subs not used: Leighfield (GK), Irving, Gourlay, Paton.
Ref: Willie Collum.
Att: 7,675.
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