ABERDEEN teenager Scott Wright has surely played his way into the Scottish Cup Final squad after this superb individual display which stood out even from an almost perfect team performance.

The 19-year-old scored three as he ripped Partick Thistle to shreds, ably abetted by his team-mates who could never have imagined being given such an easy last league outing before meeting Celtic at Hampden this Saturday.

In defence of Thistle, they had ten players out and not one of their supporters could complain about what their team had given them this season. The top six matches have been a bit much for them and yesterday it was their bad lack they met an opponent bang on form. It happens.

Alongside Wright, Ryan Christie was superb but won’t be available to play in the final because his loan deal from Celtic doesn’t allow that.

Christie could well remain at Aberdeen for at least one more season and with Greg Tansey already signed, Shaun Maloney on his way and Garry Mackay-Steven seemingly also Pittodrie-bound, Scotland’s second best team aren’t going anywhere.

That’s a record 76 points for Aberdeen with Saturday still to come. In the SPL/Premiership era this is the best tally from a side not called Celtic or Rangers.

“I’m just pleased with the intensity the players showed," said Derek McInes, the Aberdeen manager. "They kept placing demands on themselves, even in the second half.

“You see it often, when teams get so far ahead in the first half, that they don’t keep going after the break. Okay, we didn’t score as many goals but, in terms of application, we kept it going.

“We used three subs and sometimes that can interrupt your flow but we maintained our work-rate and our commitment to keeping the clean sheet. I’m delighted to get such a convincing victory.

“You don’t normally get wins like that in the top six after the split; the games tend to be quite tight. But we have the potential to do that to teams and we’ve scored seven a few times this season."

And now onto Saturday and a date with destiny.

"I’ve been really pleased with four of our five post-split performances," said McInnes. That bodes well for the final.”

The young man of the moment certainly did himself a huge favour. Wright said: "I was just out there trying to show the manager what I can do and hopefully took my chance. Now we’ll see where it goes from there.

"I’ve probably given myself the best chance of being involved. But I’ve been patient all season and obviously with boys like Jonny Hayes and Niall McGinn it’s going to be hard to budge them out of their slot in the team."

It only took seven minutes for Aberdeen to take the lead. From a good distance outside the Thistle box, Jonny Hayes sent a free-kick towards Adam Rooney, the ball was knocked back into the path of Christie who continued his good scoring form by aiming a right foot half volley into the bottom corner.

However, Aberdeen increased their lead on eleven minutes. It was then you knew it was going to be a long and not particularly enjoyable day for Thistle and their supporters.

The excellent Kenny McLean sent in one of those crosses defenders hate and attackers love. Ash Taylor rose high and his header crashed off the bar, the ball fell to Wright who guided his shot past the group of players and into the net.

It was 3-0 soon enough. It came on 16 minutes when McLean made a superb run from midfield, he then produced a perfect pass into the path of Wright whose shot wasn’t too shabby, the ball flying past Thistle keeper Mark Ridgers at his near post.

And then on 35 minutes, Thistle’s day went from bad to utterly horrific. Aberdeen, it must be said, were playing some great stuff. This goal was a peach, Shay Logan crossed from the right, Rooney dummied and a sliding Hayes made no mistake.

There wasn’t much for the home fans to enjoy although Ryan Edwards almost caught out Aberdeen keeper Lewis with a free-kick from 45 yards.

Aberdeen seemed to be denied what the naked eye suggested was a blatant penalty when Thistle defender Liam Lindsay appeared to take out Christie inside the box. The Aberdeen player was astonished nothing was given.

The best moment had yet to come.

With the half coming to its end, Andrew Considine pulled the ball back to Christie on the edge of the box and the midfielder produced a superb shot which gave poor Rodgers no chance.

At half time we were, cough, treated to a theatrical re-enactment of the 1971 League Cup Final win over Celtic. It was so West End.

McInnes could afford to rest Mark Reynolds and McLean at the break, they were replaced by Jack and Peter Pawlett and, indeed, the Aberdeen players went through the motions about in the second 45.

It became six on 51 minutes. Wright for his hat-trick – he also got three in for under-20s in a Challenge Cup match at the start of the season – when his shot from 20 yards was helped by a deflection as it flew in.

For Alan Archibald, the Thistle manager, admitted: "I’ve felt better. Look, the players have been great, it just leaves a bad taste in the mouth what has happened over the last couple of games. It’s hard to have a go at them because they have been so good over the course of the season."

Asked to compare Celtic, who scored five against his team on Thursday, and Aberdeen, Archibald said: "That's hard because we were woeful with a patched up team."

There was nothing more to say.