UEFA Cup hopefuls Hearts fought back from a goal down to Dundee to re-assert their grip on third place in the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

The Jambos had not won for three games and the signs were ominous when Steven Milne opened the scoring for the Dark Blues in the eighth minute.

However, the home side kept plugging away and goals from Paul Hartley, a Steven Pressley penalty and Joe Hamill in a 15-minute spell after the break gave Hearts a comfortable win, which had looked far from likely in the first nervy 45 minutes.

It was the home side who were first to threaten in the sixth minute when midfielder Hartley nearly latched onto a fine Alan Maybury pass, but the ball just evaded the former Hibs player and ran through to Dundee keeper Julian Speroni.

But, in the eighth minute, with their first real attack, the visitors took the lead with a clever goal.

After picking the ball up from midfielder Steven Robb, striker Steve Lovell slipped it to Milne and, although the Dees striker looked suspiciously offside, he coolly ran on and placed his shot past Jambos keeper Craig Gordon from just inside the box.

Hearts fought back but the Dees defence held firm while looking dangerous on the break.

And, in the 16th minute, Milne came close again when his angled shot from close range hit the side-netting.

On the half-hour mark, there was an orchestrated protest by the home supporters against chief executive Chris Robinson with fans around Tynecastle holding up posters.

But, on the pitch, the Gorgie men were struggling to get back into the game.

In the 35th minute, Dundee could have doubled their lead when midfielder Mark Fotheringham sent Lovell clean through.

But, when the Dees striker rounded Gordon, the angle became too tight and Hearts skipper Pressley was able to clear for a corner.

In the 52nd minute, the home side eventually got their equaliser.

A Kevin McKenna header from a Robbie Neilson cross found Hartley and his shot across the goal could only be helped on its way into the net by Dees defender Dave Mackay.

The Gorgie men were now buoyed by the equaliser and there was no real surprise when the Jambos got their noses in front soon after.

In the 59th minute Fotheringham clumsily felled McKenna inside the box as the Canadian picked up a Phil Stamp pass and referee Hugh Dallas had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Captain Pressley stepped up to confidently side foot the spot-kick into the corner.

Eight minutes later, Hearts extended their lead when Dennis Wyness held the ball up inside the box and laid it back to Hamill, allowing the youngster to side-foot his shot past Speroni from 12 yards out.

The home side were firmly in control now and, with the game out of their reach, the visitors looked dejected.

In the 84th minute a Wyness shot and turn from 12 yards drew a good save from Speroni on his goal-line but the contest was over by then.

Teams

Hearts Gordon, Neilson, Pressley, Kisnorbo, Maybury, Stamp (de Vries 79), MacFarlane (Janczyk 71), Hartley (Weir 87), Hamill, Wyness, McKenna.

Subs Not Used: Moilanen, Berra.

Booked: Neilson.

Goals: Hartley 52, Pressley 59 pen, Hamill 67.

Dundee Speroni, Mackay, Sancho, Mair, Cameron, Brady, Fotheringham (Hegarty 88), Robb, Lovell (Kneissl 74), Novo (Jablonski 81), Milne.

Subs Not Used: Soutar, McNally.

Booked: Novo, Cameron, Lovell.

Goals: Milne 8.

Att: 10,491

Ref: H Dallas (Scotland).