Tim Visser set a new record for the most individual tries in a Magners League season on a night when Edinburgh claimed back-to-back home wins for the first time since last November by swatting aside Aironi 32-15 at Murrayfield.
Interim head coach Nick Scrivener's team produced a display that bristled with intent and precision to notch a bonus point-victory that sets them up well for their final EH12 game of the campaign against Dragons on Friday 22 April (kick-off 7.30pm).
Visser's delightful first half score, one of three that Edinburgh supplied in the opening period, was his 13th league touchdown of the season, and saw him overtake previous joint record holders Jamie Robinson and Kevin Morgan.
Substitute Chris Paterson, who excelled coming off the bench, added a fourth try after the interval to see Edinburgh home in some comfort against dogged opposition.
There was another man of the match performance from No.8 David Denton, whose leg drive and appetite for work were a delight to behold.
Scrivener confirmed: "I thought David had an excellent game, both in terms of the directness he brought to our play and his energy across the match. He's still very much a work in progress, but there's a lot there for us and him to get going with, and if he keeps showing the same desire and application, he's going to be a big player for this club.
"I'm more than happy with our work all-round, because even though Aironi made life difficult for us at times at the breakdown, we showed a clinical edge in attack and made sure they didn't get close to us on the scoreboard at the start of the second half when they had a fair bit of possession and territory.
"I'm delighted for Tim that he got on the scoresheet again: his finishing ability is first class and it's great to be able to call on that. He's another one who keeps working hard at his game, and I'm convinced he'll keep getting better and better."
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Edinburgh made a great start to the match, Fraser McKenzie crossing within three minutes to rouse the home support.
The try was a devastatingly simple affair, Mike Blair feeding routine ruck ball into the blindside's hands via Greig Laidlaw, and McKenzie bursting between Kaine Robertson and Pablo Canavosio to touch down in the left corner. Laidlaw, as is increasingly his wont, knocked over a nonchalant conversion to complete the home team's brilliant opening.
Edinburgh continued to look razor sharp, Blair, Visser and Scott MacLeod all to the fore, and they further stretched their lead in the 14th minute when Laidlaw knocked over a penalty awarded for an Aironi bodycheck on the livewire half-back.
It wasn't all plain sailing, particularly for Laidlaw, who soon found himself in the sin-bin after his deliberate knock-on killed an ominously fluent Aironi attack that weak Edinburgh tackling had done little to disrupt. More punishment arrived in the form of stand-off James Marshall making no mistake with the resultant penalty.
Referee John Lacey was an increasingly busy man, issuing two more yellow cards as a lineout on the east stand touchline ended in second rows Esteban Lozada and Marco Bortolami engaging in a minor spat.
Edinburgh didn't let the chopping and changing affect them and soon came up with a second score. The try showed Blair at his best, the scrum-half embarking on one of those trademark slicing runs from behind the breakdown and feigning to pass right before stepping on the gas and surging over the line. Laidlaw added a straightforward conversion to put Edinburgh 14 points up.
The home side kept pressing and secured a third try before the interval. You felt that Visser had to get in on the scoring act before long, and the big Dutchman duly delivered. Blair, Laidlaw and Cairns fed the ball swiftly left to the winger, who burned opposite number Kaine Robertson before stepping Gilberto Pavan and Danwel Demas en-route to the line.
Edinburgh didn't have it all their own way, however. Some lovely hands from the visitors created an opening on the left for Demas, who made his way across the whitewash to give the small band of Aironi supporters something to cheer.
HALF-TIME: EDINBURGH 24-8 AIRONI
There was more defending for Edinburgh to do immediately after the restart, as Aironi channelled their attacking efforts through the bigger members of their pack. Despite a few minor alarms, the hosts held firm, Denton reiterating his worth in defence by mopping up after a couple of wobby set-pieces.
The marauding No.8 was having another outstanding match, and continued to help Edinburgh make ground with ball in hand. Visits to the Aironi 22 were still thin on the ground at this stage, though, and it took an alert Visser hit on Demas to persuade the wideman into touch as he sought to cross at the other end.
Paterson emerged from the sidelines to ghost through for the bonus-point score, and almost had another at the end as the merest contact between his knee and the touchline put paid to the potential benefits of his lunge at the right-hand corner flag.
All in all, a good night's work for the capital club, and another landmark for Visser.
Magners man of the match: David Denton (Edinburgh)
Edinburgh: 15 Jim Thompson; 14 Simon Webster, 13 Ben Cairns, 12 James King, 11 Tim Visser; 10 Greig Laidlaw, 9 Mike Blair; 1 Kyle Traynor, 2 Andrew Kelly (captain), 3 Geoff Cross, 4 Scott MacLeod, 5 Esteban Lozada, 6 Fraser McKenzie, 7 Roddy Grant, 8 David Denton
Substitutes: 16 Alun Walker, 17 Lewis Niven, 18 David Young, 19 Steven Turnbull, 20 Stuart McInally, 21 Nick De Luca, 22 Lee Jones, 23 Chris Paterson
Aironi: 15 Giulio Rubini; 14 Kaine Robertson, 13 Gilberto Pavan, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Danwel Demas; 10 James Marshall, 9 Pablo Canavosio; 1 S Perugini, 2 F Ongaro, 3 U Gamboa, 4 M Bortolami, 5 Q Geldenhuys (captain), 6 N Cattina, 7 G Krause, 8 N Williams
Substitutes: 16 Luigi Ferraro, 17 Fabio Staibano, 18 Alberto De Marchi, 19 George Biagi, 20 Jaco Erasmus, 21 Tito Tebaldi, 22 Gabriel Pizarro, 23 Riccardo Bocchino
Ref: J Lacey (IRFU)
