Freddy Arpinon and Garry O'Connor grabbed the goals that earned Hibs a 2-1 win over Dundee United at Tannadice.

Arpinon volleyed Hibs ahead seven minutes before the break from Ulises de la Cruz's cross and O'Connor's deflected effort after the break left United with a mountain to climb.

Steven Thompson headed home from Stuart Duff's cross to give the home side hope but Hibs held on for three deserved points.

United had started brightly and when David Winters hit a free-kick to the back post for the unmarked Thompson, his header smacked off the base of the post and away to safety.

Thompson was denied a great goal after only 10 minutes. He won the ball on the edge of the Hibs box and released Winters into the area. He laid the ball back to Thompson, whose effort was cleared off the line by Gary Smith.

Hibs had a shout for a penalty in the 16th minute when John O'Neill went down under a clumsy tackle by Jim Lauchlan. Referee Kevin Toner was in a perfect position to judge on the incident and waved play on.

Hibs carved the United defence open and should have taken the lead in the 18th minute. Ulises de la Cruz broke free down the right and whipped in a cross for O'Connor. The Hibs striker leapt above his marker and got his header on target, but watched in horror as United goalkeeper Paul Gallacher made a superb reflex save.

O'Connor once again wreaked havoc in the United half. He pounced on a mistake by Danny Griffin and broke towards goal before unleashing an 18-yard drive which flew inches wide.

Gallacher had to act as a sweeper when Hibs once again carved the United defence wide open by using the pace of de la Cruz.

The Ecuadorian broke down the right and was fed by a cross-field pass from John O'Neill. However, Gallacher had spotted the danger and rushed off his line to clear with a sliding tackle.

United forced rookie Hibs goalkeeper Tony Caig into a fantastic save on the half-hour mark.

Young Duff, playing only his second game for the home side, broke down the right-hand side and whipped in a cross for Tassos Venetis.

The Greek Under-21 player rose above the Hibs defence and looked to have headed his side in front, until Caig leapt across his goal to palm the ball away.

Hibs opened the scoring in 38 minutes in spectacular style. Once again De La Cruz found space on the right-hand side and he launched a high cross through the United area, right to the back of the 18-yard box.

The ball sat kindly for Arpinon, who was lurking unmarked at the back, and he lashed a powerful volley past Gallacher.

Craig Brewster should have doubled the advantage with the last kick of the ball in the first half.

He played a one-two move with strike partner O'Connor, but could only fire wildly over from 16 yards when it looked easier to score.

Hibs boss Bobby Williamson introduced his first substitution of the afternoon at the interval.

Arpinon, the goal hero at the end of the first half, was withdrawn and replaced by Grant Brebner.

Duff once again showed his pace and got in behind the Hibs defence on the right-hand side.

However, despite putting in a tempting low cross for Thompson, the target man was unable to reach the ball and it was cleared off the six-yard line by Caldwell.

Charlie Miller should have equalised for United but was unable to get a good contact on the ball after making space for himself between two Hibs defenders. He swung wildly at the ball 18 yards out and only succeeded in passing it back to a grateful Caig.

Williamson made his second substitution after 70 minutes, replacing veteran striker Craig Brewster with Paco Luna in a straight swap up front.

Hibs doubled their advantage after 73 minutes in fortunate circumstances, after O'Connor's shot was deflected past Gallacher from the edge of the box.

The young Hibs striker played a one-two with Luna and unleashed a shot but Jim Lauchlan tried a block and looked on in horror as the ball spun off his leg and into the net.

United hit back almost immediately and had the ball in the net within minutes.

Once again Duff found space and broke down the wing. His cross was met by the onrushing Thompson, who nodded the ball past Caig from six yards.

United took heart and almost equalised straight from the kick-off.

They broke up the park through Craig Easton, who found himself in space 20 yards out. He simply put his head down and thrashed the ball towards goal, but Caig managed to get a hand to the ball and save.

From the resulting corner United created yet another chance. The ball bounced around in the area and was leapt upon by Caig, but the goalkeeper could not hold on to it.

Panic ensued in the Hibs six-yard box and a number of players piled in on top of the goalkeeper. Fortunately for Caig, the referee decided that enough kicking at fresh air was enough and he blew for a free kick to Hibs.

The final chance of the game fell to United's Charlie Miller. The little midfielder was standing on the edge of the Hibs box when the ball came to him but he could not make full contact and saw his show sail weakly into the Hibs box and a ruck of defenders.

Teams:

Dundee Utd: Gallacher, Duff, Lauchlan, Griffin, McCracken (Paterson 69), Venetis (O'Donnell 75), Easton, Miller, Aljofree, Winters (Lilley 63), Thompson.

Subs Not Used: Jarvie, McConalogue.

Goals: Thompson 77.

Hibernian: Caig, Orman, Smith, Caldwell, Murray, De la Cruz (Wiss 83), Jack, O'Neil, Arpinon (Brebner 45), O'Connor, Brewster (Luna 69).

Subs Not Used: Westwater, Townsley.

Goals: Arpinon 38, O'Connor 73.

Att: 5,801

Ref: K Toner (Scotland).