Date: 10th September 2005
Venue: Easter Road, Edinburgh, 3.00pm kick-off

Score: Hibernian 2 - Garry O?Connor (pen), Ivan Sproule Dundee United 1 - Grant Brebner.

Attendance:12,026

Hibernian's hat-trick hero from their win over Rangers, Ivan Sproule, was the match-winner again.

The new Northern Ireland cap sprang off the bench to deservedly earn Tony Mowbray's side all three points with a second-half strike after Garry O'Connor had cancelled out ex-Hibs star Grant Brebner's opener.

Hibs manager Mowbray sprang a surprise by playing Scotland cap O'Connor as a lone striker, but his deployment of two banks of midfield caused Dundee United problems all afternoon.

Michael Stewart in particular was able to find holes in the visiting defence and he sparked a moment of controversy in the 12th minute as O'Connor floated a delightful pass over the top for the former Manchester United youngster to chase.

Mark Kerr tracked him all the way and was tempted into a clumsy challenge as the Hibs midfielder prepared to pull the trigger, but Kenny Clark waved aside the penalty claims.

That was to prove crucial moments later as United took the lead on the break. David Fernandez found space on the right side of the home box and perfectly picked out former Hibs skipper Brebner, who side-footed home superbly.

An almost carbon copy of that move brought out a great save from Zbigniew Malkowski only a minute later after Fernandez had played in Lee Miller.

But O'Connor levelled from the spot in the 16th minute. Dean Shiels had raced on to Kevin Thomson's through ball and, when he picked out the breaking Stewart, Stuart Duff was penalised for another poor tackle from behind.

The second period opened in a similar vein to the first, with Hibs continuing their assault on the United goal as Thomson, Guillaume Beuzelin and O'Connor all had chances to put their side ahead.

Hibs made a double change on the hour mark, with Sproule afforded a standing ovation and Derek Riordan introduced for his first appearance since knocking back a ?1million move to Cardiff City.

And the alteration brought immediate dividends as Hibs took the lead through that man Sproule.

Still on a high from his remarkable performance at Ibrox and making his Northern Ireland debut in their historic 1-0 win over England, the winger was sent clear by O'Connor on the halfway line but still had plenty to do.

The 24-year-old looked as if he might have lost his chance as he dithered after coming inside keeper Derek Stillie on the edge of the area, but his left-foot shot beat Mark Wilson on the line.

Hibernian: Malkowski, Whittaker, Hogg, Smith, Murphy, Scott Brown (Riordan 61), Beuzelin, Stewart, Thomson (Glass 79), Shiels (Sproule 61), O'Connor. Subs Not Used: Simon Brown, Konte, Morrow, Rudge.

Booked: Murphy.

Goals: O'Connor 18 pen, Sproule 70.

Dundee United: Stillie, Wilson, Kenneth, Ritchie, Archibald, Canero (McIntyre 75), Kerr, Brebner, Duff (Robson 81), Fernandez, Miller. Subs Not Used: Samson, McCracken, Dodds, Robertson, Cameron.

Booked: Duff, Kerr, Wilson, Ritchie, Archibald.

Goals: Brebner 14.

Ref: K Clark