Jon Daly scored twice in the closing 15 minutes as Dundee United came from behind to sink lowly Hibs at Tannadice.

Leigh Griffiths broke the deadlock on 24 minutes after latching onto a Martin Scott pass and calmly volleying home.

United dominated after the break and Johnny Russell coolly rounded keeper Graham Stack to level on 59 minutes.

Daly nodded in an excellent delivery from Paul Dixon and slipped a shot beyond Stack in the closing stages as the visitors fell apart.

The win lifts United up to sixth in the Scottish Premier League, while Hibs are now in danger of being cast adrift with Dunfermline at the foot of the table.

Pat Fenlon, who was close to taking over at Tannadice two years ago, has started his Hibs career with three defeats and the Irishman will be disappointed by the way his team faded after the interval.

The match started at a lively pace with Russell firing over from the edge of the box in the opening minute before Ivan Sproule ended a darting run at the other end with a low drive into the side-netting.

The hosts were next to carve out an opening after 14 minutes when left-back Dixon floated an inviting ball to the back post but United Daly was unable to apply the finishing touch.

Hibs midfielder Scott showed great agility to take the ball on the chest and fire a volleyed pass across goal into the direction of Griffiths but the on-loan Wolves man was inches away from connecting.

However, the duo were to combine to great effect when Griffiths raced onto Scott's lofted pass and placed a volley beyond keeper Dusan Pernis.

United were close to equalising when John Rankin and Daly combined to set up Russell, who skipped past Paul Hanlon before slotting the ball just past the post.

Rankin then saw his curling effort from the edge of the area sail over the crossbar.

But it was the visitors who almost increased their advantage three minutes before the break when Pernis produced a wonderful save to keep out a Griffiths header.

Early in the second half, United with Gavin Gunning testing Stack from distance before Scott Robertson was denied by a fine save from the Hibernian keeper after 52 minutes.

The equaliser arrived when Gary Mackay-Steven slalomed past a couple of Hibernian defenders before finding Stuart Armstrong, who neatly played in Russell to round Stack before tapping the ball into the unguarded net.

And United were ahead after 76 minutes when Daly rose highest to head home Dixon's enticing delivery.

The visitors had a chance to get back on level terms in the closing stages when Hanlon headed narrowly past the post from a Griffiths corner before Pernis spilled a drilled effort from substitute Danny Galbraith and had to rely on Gunning to hack the ball clear.

With Hibs all at sea at the back, Daly made sure of all three points when ran onto a Rankin header and slipped the ball home with two minutes remaining.

Lineup, Bookings (5) & Substitutions (5)

Dundee United

  • 01 Pernis
  • 02 Dillon Booked
  • 03 Dixon
  • 18 Gunning
  • 26 Neilson (Kenneth - 83' )
  • 08 Robertson
  • 11 Rankin
  • 16 Armstrong
  • 17 Mackay-Steven
  • 09 Daly
  • 15 Russell (Allan - 90' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Banks
  • 05 Kenneth
  • 14 Douglas
  • 20 Allan
  • 19 Dalla Valle
  • 22 Dow
  • 23 Hilson

Hibernian

  • 01 Stack
  • 02 Hart (Galbraith - 72' )
  • 04 Hanlon
  • 05 O'Hanlon
  • 20 Stephens
  • 07 Wotherspoon
  • 14 Scott Booked (Sodje - 80' )
  • 16 Stevenson Booked
  • 17 Sproule (Murray - 89' )
  • 19 Palsson Booked
  • 28 Griffiths Booked

Substitutes

  • 31 Brown
  • 03 Booth
  • 06 Murray
  • 25 Towell
  • 11 Galbraith
  • 26 Welsh
  • 23 Sodje
Ref: O'Reilly
Att: 8,168

Match Stats

Shots

7 4

On target

4 3

Corners

8 6

Fouls

5 4

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +3:24 Full time

Full Time The referee signals the end of the game.

90:00 +3:06

Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Gary Mackay-Steven.

90:00 +2:26

Corner taken by Gary Mackay-Steven from the left by-line.

90:00 +1:40

Unfair challenge on Gary Mackay-Steven by Victor Palsson results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Paul Dixon.

90:00 +1:36 Booking

Booking Victor Palsson receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

90:00 +0:04 Substitution

Substitution Scott Allan joins the action as a substitute, replacing Johnny Russell.

88:11 Substitution

Substitution Ian Murray joins the action as a substitute, replacing Ivan Sproule.

87:19

Assist on the goal came from John Rankin.

87:19 Goal scored

Goal - Jon Daly - Dundee U 3 - 1 Hibernian A goal is scored by Jon Daly from inside the area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Dundee Utd 3-1 Hibernian.

85:34

Ivan Sproule concedes a free kick for a foul on Stuart Armstrong. Paul Dixon takes the free kick.

82:50 Substitution

Substitution Garry Kenneth comes on in place of Robbie Neilson.

81:03

Inswinging corner taken by David Wotherspoon, clearance made by Jon Daly.

80:07

Daniel Galbraith takes a shot. Save by Dusan Pernis.

79:10 Substitution

Substitution Akpo Sodje on for Martin Scott.

77:47

Inswinging corner taken by Leigh Griffiths from the right by-line, Close range headed effort by Paul Hanlon misses to the right of the goal.

75:11

Assist by Paul Dixon.

75:11 Goal scored

Goal - Jon Daly - Dundee U 2 - 1 Hibernian Jon Daly finds the back of the net with a headed goal from close range. Dundee Utd 2-1 Hibernian.

75:08

Paul Dixon delivers the ball,

73:57

Corner taken right-footed by Ivan Sproule from the left by-line, clearance by Johnny Russell.

71:20 Substitution

Substitution Daniel Galbraith replaces Michael Hart.

70:52 Booking

Booking Lewis Stevenson booked.

68:59

Shot on goal by Johnny Russell from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.

63:29

Gary Mackay-Steven takes the inswinging corner, save by Graham Stack.

60:05 Booking

Booking The referee books Martin Scott for unsporting behaviour.

60:27

Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Gary Mackay-Steven.

61:05 Booking

Booking Martin Scott is given a yellow card.

60:27

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Gary Mackay-Steven from the left by-line.

58:34

Stuart Armstrong provided the assist for the goal.

58:34 Goal scored

Goal - Johnny Russell - Dundee U 1 - 1 Hibernian Johnny Russell grabs a goal from just inside the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Dundee Utd 1-1 Hibernian.

55:45

Corner from the left by-line taken by David Wotherspoon, clearance made by Robbie Neilson.

55:00 Booking

Booking Sean Dillon goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.

54:41 Booking

Booking Leigh Griffiths is shown a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

53:23

Outswinging corner taken by Gary Mackay-Steven, save by Graham Stack.

52:56

Corner taken by Gary Mackay-Steven from the left by-line, clearance by David Stephens.

51:21

Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Gary Mackay-Steven.

49:39

Unfair challenge on Sean Dillon by Leigh Griffiths results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Sean Dillon.

46:25

Gavin Gunning takes a shot. Graham Stack makes a save.

45:01

The second half has started.

45:00 +1:03 Half time

Half Time The half-time whistle blows.

45:00 +0:03

Corner taken by Gary Mackay-Steven from the left by-line, clearance made by Sean O'Hanlon.

40:39

The official flags Jon Daly offside. The ball is crossed by David Stephens, Leigh Griffiths takes a shot. Dusan Pernis makes a save.

40:39

Jon Daly is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by David Stephens.

39:37

Gary Mackay-Steven is caught offside. Indirect free kick taken by Graham Stack.

36:04

Leigh Griffiths fouled by Gavin Gunning, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Sean O'Hanlon.

32:31

Corner taken right-footed by David Wotherspoon from the left by-line, clearance made by Robbie Neilson.

31:47

Sean Dillon concedes a free kick for a foul on Leigh Griffiths. Leigh Griffiths takes the direct free kick.

30:11

Effort from deep inside the area by Johnny Russell misses to the left of the goal.

22:58

The assist for the goal came from Martin Scott.

22:58 Goal scored

Goal - Leigh Griffiths - Dundee U 0 - 1 Hibernian Leigh Griffiths scores a goal from close range to the bottom left corner of the goal. Dundee Utd 0-1 Hibernian.

21:55

Martin Scott fouled by Sean Dillon, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Martin Scott.

19:44

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Martin Scott by Robbie Neilson. David Wotherspoon restarts play with the free kick.

15:26

Lewis Stevenson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Gary Mackay-Steven. Gavin Gunning takes the free kick.

8:48

Corner from the right by-line taken by Leigh Griffiths, Scott Robertson makes a clearance.

5:01

Free kick awarded for a foul by Stuart Armstrong on Ivan Sproule. David Wotherspoon delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left wing, save by Dusan Pernis.

0:54

Effort from just outside the area by Stuart Armstrong goes over the target.

0:00

The referee gets the game underway.

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