United perform well but lose 2-1 to Hibernian at Easter Road in the Scottish Premier League match today.

Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher spared team-mate Shelton Martis' blushes as he clinched a 2-1 win against Dundee United. Dutchman Martis had given the visitors a 24th-minute lead after scoring a bizarre own goal, but Rob Jones levelled seconds before the break. And

Fletcher completed the comeback in the 73rd minute with a well-executed strike from an angle inside the box. United could have taken the lead after four minutes when Hibs centre-half Jones was caught out in a dangerous position.

United striker Colin Samuel made up ground to dispossess the towering englishman, but his cutback for the unmarked David Goodwillie was well read by Martis, who cleared. Lee Mair was tackled by Hibs midfielder Guillaume Beuzelin, but the Frenchman's pass for Fletcher was slack and the Tayside outfit were happy to concede a corner. Hibs had the lions' share of possession during the early play but were having difficulty trying to break down the United rearguard. That should have changed in the 21st minute when Ivan Sproule tormented Christian Kalvenes before drilling the ball across goal, the sheer venom of the pass made it difficult for Fletcher to control and his first-time shot went wide of goal. And the home side were made to rue that missed chances Martis flicked the ball over Zibi Malkowski into his own net from Craig Conway's cross in the 24th minute. After taking the lead, United looked like a different side as confidence flowed through the team. When Hibs finally did put together a sequence of passes, Chris Killen did well to make space to have a shot, but his effort from an acute angle was parried by Derek Stillie. Hibs, however, weathered the storm and restored parity in first-half injury time when Jones bulleted home Thomson's free-kick.

Thomson's inswinging cross took a deflection en route, but that did not matter as Jones made great contact to head the ball past Stillie. Despite the disappointment at losing a goal, United remained disciplined after the break. Following a sustained spell of pressure, Mark Kerr unleashed a shot in the 52nd minute, but his effort drifted past the post.

Even though Hibs were far from their best against an organised United side, the hosts managed to take the lead for the first time in the game in the 73rd minute. Sproule's cross caused problems with the home fans shouting for a penalty as Abdessalam Benjelloun fell in the box. But those appeals turned to cheers seconds later as Fletcher picked up the loose ball and drilled the ball under Stillie from 12 yards.

Hibernian: Malkowski, Whittaker, Jones, Martis, Murphy, Scott Brown, Thomson (Stewart 46), Beuzelin (Shiels 68), Sproule, Killen (Benjelloun 59), Fletcher. Subs Not Used: McNeil, Hogg, Glass, Stevenson.

Booked: Whittaker.

Goals: Jones 45, Fletcher 73.

Dundee Utd: Stillie, Mair, Duff, Archibald, Kalvenes, Conway, Kerr, Robertson, Robson, Samuel, Goodwillie. Subs Not Used: McLean, McCracken, Wilkie, Cameron, Kenneth, Easton, Smith.

Booked: Kerr, Archibald, Robertson.

Goals: Martis 24 og.

Att: 14,032

Ref: S Conroy.