Aberdeen moved top of the Scottish Premiership on New Year’s Day with a 2-0 win over St Johnstone after Celtic’s match away to Partick Thistle was postponed.

The Dons took advantage of the waterlogged pitch at Firhill to leapfrog the Hoops into top spot with their sixth successive league victory, the first time they have achieved such a feat in 26 years.

David Goodwillie opened the scoring in the sixth minute with an overhead kick before Cammy Smith added a second in stoppage time to seal a deserved victory.

Aberdeen are now a point ahead of Celtic, who have a game in hand, and are the first side outwith the Old Firm to lead the Scottish top flight after New Year since 1992.

“I’m delighted with the players’ approach to the game,” Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes said after a game watched by more than 15,000 at Pittodrie.

“It was important that we used the big crowd to get behind the team with us having the chance to go top.

“It was a good strong performance and we created as many chances as we have in any game in that good run.

“Although you are always wanting a second goal, I was confident with the way we were playing. We thoroughly deserved the three points.

“We are just enjoying it and it is important that the players don’t get ahead of themselves.”

Dundee United had temporarily drawn level on points with Aberdeen following their emphatic 6-2 thrashing of city rivals Dundee in the early kick-off at Tannadice.

United got off to the perfect start when Chris Erskine’s shot deflected into the net off team-mate Stuart Armstrong in the first minute.

Greg Stewart’s superb free-kick temporarily levelled the match in the 24th minute but Gary Mackay-Steven’s stunning shot put the hosts ahead again three minutes later.

Erskine and Mackay-Steven again netted before half-time while Jaroslaw Fojut and substitute Charlie Telfer completed the rout in the second half as United moved to within two points of Celtic in second. Luka Tankulic claimed a late consolation for Paul Hartley’s side.

“I’m delighted with a lot of things in the game – our goals, our movement. When we’re like that, we feel we can beat anybody,” a delighted United boss Jackie McNamara said.

“We knew we could cause them problems and we looked a constant threat from all different areas,” he added after United scored six in a competitive game against Dundee for the first time.

Meanwhile, Ian Baraclough’s honeymoon period as Motherwell manager ended with a 5-0 thrashing from Lanarkshire rivals Hamilton Academical.

The new ‘Well manager had won his previous two matches but Hamilton dismantled them at New Douglas Park with Dougie Imrie giving them an eighth-minute lead before Ali Crawford added a second prior to the break.

Mickael Antoine-Curier smashed home a third before Tony Andreu and Daniel Redmond completed the scoring to keep Hamilton in fourth, just four points off the top.

Aaron Doran scored a double to help Inverness Caledonian Thistle to a 3-1 victory in the Highland derby against Ross County in Dingwall.

The winger grabbed the only goal of the first half before adding a second in the 58th minute. Jackson Irvine pulled one back for Ross County on the hour mark but Billy McKay made sure of the points for Inverness.

Celtic had been hoping to end a two-match run without a win before a pitch inspection led to the Glasgow derby at Firhill being postponed. A new date for the fixture has still to be announced.

The defending champions could find themselves four points off the top by the time they play Kilmarnock next Monday if Aberdeen can win away at Motherwell on Sunday.