Dundee began life after Kane Hemmings with a comfortable and classy 7-0 win over Forfar in the Betfred Cup at Dens Park.
They may have been without free-scoring frontman Hemmings, who was sold to Oxford United in midweek, but the Dark Blues still produced a glut of goals against the Loons.
There was an individual master-class from Greg Stewart, who scored twice and was involved in nearly everything else as he was watched from the stand by a representative of Birmingham City.
However, they still went out of the competition along with the Angus men, with Peterhead finishing top of Group A.
Goals from Paul McGowan, Michael Duffy and Stewart gave them a 3-0 lead at half-time.
Julen Etxabeguren made it four for the Dens men on 55 minutes before Stewart shot home his second of the match 10 minutes later. Number six arrived on 72 minutes and it was converted by sub Rory Loy then the hard-working Yordi Teijsse made it seven with two minutes to go.
The Dens men handed a first start to Dutch forward Yordi Teijsse as Loy dropped to the bench, Duffy came in for Craig Wighton, while McGowan replaced Mark O’Hara.
The Loons, who were unchanged, were forced to withstand some early Dundee pressure before breaking upfield and testing keeper Scott Bain with a deep cross from the left by Danny Denholm on eight minutes.
On 17 minutes, the visitors’ Thomas O’Brien fired a freekick past the post but, just 60 seconds later, it was 1-0 to the Dark Blues.
It was a lovely finish from McGowan, who latched on to a defence-beating ball from Stewart before chipping over the head of advancing keeper Grant Adam and into the empty net.
Teijsse then redirected a McGowan shot with his head and Forfar goalie Adam pulled off a great save to keep his team just one down.
On 32 minutes, Stewart’s freekick from outside the box just cleared the Loons’ bar then it was 2-0 to the hosts on 34 minutes.
It was an excellent goal from Duffy that had the fans on their feet on 34 minutes, the Celtic loan man nearly bursting the net with a shot from 30 yards.
James Lister sent a strike over the Dundee bar as Forfar tried to fight back but the home team were three up on 38 minutes.
The ball was squeezed home from a tight angle by Stewart after Adam had saved a header from the Dens playmaker.
Stewart then stung Adam’s hands again with a shot as the Dark Blues continued to dominate.
He was at it again after the break, with two shots blocked, before Danny Wiiliams sent the ball past the post when it looked easier to score.
On 55 minutes, though, it was 4-0 thanks to Etxabeguren, who scrambled the ball into the net after a header from Teijsse had been saved on the line.
Teijsee was in the thick of things and should have got his own name on the scoresheet on 59 minutes when he blasted over the bar when completely unmarked.
On 65 minutes, Stewart was on song once again with his sixth goal of the season thus far.
It was another fine finish from the playmaker, who took a neat back-heeled pass from sub Wighton before firing into the net from the edge of the area.
Sub Loy then grabbed number six when he nodded home a cross from Cammy Kerr.
There were plenty of more chances for the home team as the Loons tired and toiled, with Wighton and Teijsse both trying their luck.
Arguably the biggest cheer of the match came on 88 minutes, though, when the hardworking Teijsse got the goal he more than deserved with a header from close range after being found by a Wighton cross.
Attendance: 2,219.
Dundee: S. Bain, Holt, Vincent (Curran 80), O’Dea, Stewart, Duffy (Loy 61), Williams (Wighton 61), Etxabeguren, McGowan, Teijsse, Kerr. Subs not used: Mitchell, Gadzhalov.
Forfar: Adam, MacKintosh, J. Bain, Munro, Malcolm, O’Brien, Cox, Peters (Milne 61), Lister, Swankie (Fotheringham 65), Denholm (Aitken 61). Subs not used: Hill, Hay, Mailer, Devine.
Referee: Willie Collum.
