Hibs' new era punctured by Dundee Utd as fan ire boils over and ball bursts at Tannadice

Marink Reedijk has promised entertaining football at Hibs under his watch - but it's likely the 2500-strong away fans would have left Tannadice far from amused after this 1-0 defeat by Dundee United.

Had the Tangerines won by more - and they should have done - there would have been no grounds for complaints. It is now four defeats in five Premiership matches for Hibs, who are languishing in tenth place.

Early days yet under the 35-year-old Dutchman, who has been brought in to replace David Gray and give this team a new identity. Hibs certainly lined up with more attacking intent on Tayside, but continue to lack a cutting edge.

Daniel Bennie scored the only goal of the game as Dundee United defeated Hibs 1-0 at Tannadice. | SNS Group

United played very well and their manager Jim Goodwin's sole grumble is that his side did not score more goals. They left so many chances on the table and were thankful right at the death for a good late save from goalkeeper Jack Walton. Their only strike came on 35 minutes when Daniel Bennie bundled home.

Once United got to grips with Hibs' fluid 4-1-3-2 formation, they were superior in almost every department. Their midfield trio of the excellent Lyall Cameron, captain Dylan Tait and Zidane Iqbal dominated and they now sit on 11 points, looking upwards.

It is far less straightforward for Reedijk, who inherited a squad that was stagnating under Gray. He has carved out a reputation for playing attacking, aggressive football and his starting XI was laden with forwards, with Ante Suto leading the line and Thibault Klidje, Callum Wright and Owen Elding playing slightly deeper. Suto, in particular, was very ineffective and was lucky to last until the interval.

Frustration has simmered within the Hibs support for some time now and emotions got the better of prominent fan group Block Seven at full-time. One member confronted the players at the end and there were ugly scenes as police and stewards held back fuming supporters. Reedijk and his team had gone over to applaud the support but there is clearly a disconnect.

This is not the intensity Reedijk would have wished for in his first game. As well as being well-beaten, his team ended the game with ten men following the dismissal of Jacob Devaney for denying Neil Farrugia a clear goalscoring opportunity. Serbian defender Marko Ivezic was given his debut in uncomfortable circumstances, while German full-back Felix Passlack wore the captain's armband.

Reedijk evidently must be afforded time to get his version of Hibs to click and while there was plenty of attacking intent, there was little substance. At the back, Hibs were filleted too often by a United side that is beginning to find its feet this season under Goodwin.

How Dundee Utd v Hibs unfolded

Hibs had the better of it early on. A lovely move on nine minutes that was started and finished by Josh Mulligan, with neat interplay with Callum Wright and Passlack in between, could have ended in a goal had the former Dundee man's shot not been blocked. Klidje then burst through the midfield after a one-two with Elding, but his effort was easily fielded by Walton.

That was the best of it for Hibs, as United settled. Iqbal got to grips with the midfield, while Cameron was finding pockets of space in front of the visiting defence. He too easily slipped Jesse Randall through on goal on 14 minutes, but his shot was straight at keeper Raphael Sallinger.

Cameron and Randall combined on 24 minutes once more and the New Zealander's effort required a smarter save from Sallinger, who showed strong wrists to shovel the ball over. Bennie then thrashed over from a promising position on the half-hour mark, with Hibs again failing to track runners.

Bennie wasn't so profligate five minutes later, although he didn't know much about it. Cameron fizzed the ball across goal and while there were no takers in Tangerine, the ball was recycled back to the playmaker and his cross was bundled in by Bennie with his thigh. Hibs' defending left a lot to be desired.

Hibs tried to find a way back before the break and were temporarily halted by a burst ball after Iqbal and Wright thundered into a challenge. It had been a deflating first half for Reedijk.

United continued to cut Hibs open after the break. The visiting forwards' lack of defensive nous was allowing United to overload in all areas. Randall screwed a shot wide, left-back Kevin Ciubotaru overlapped and saw his shot saved by Sallinger and Joshua Rawlins should have done better with a cutback. Reedijk responded by making a triple change on 54 minutes, with Rabbi Matondo given his debut, plus introductions for Martin Boyle and Nathan Lowe.

Matondo very nearly made an instant impact as he scampered away on the break but United recovered to block the Welshman's shot, while Lowe wasn't able to control the ball in a dangerous area. Hibs looked a little more comfortable with natural wingers and more effective No 9.

Hibs were pushing men forward in search of a killer second goal and were susceptible on the break. Ivezic so nearly turned the gun on himself by giving the ball away in a dangerous area on 66 minutes, but Bennie once more lacked composure and put the ball over the bar.

United's chances of holding on for victory were enhanced on 80 minutes when Devaney, not long on as a sub, dragged down Farrugia on the edge of the penalty box. Referee Don Robertson originally awarded a spot-kick but after a VAR check, the official reduced it to a free-kick but sent off the Irishman for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Abdoulaye Yoro's effort was turned over by Sallinger.

Substitute Lachie Rose spurned another glaring opportunity to wrap things up. It was so nearly costly when Boyle's well-directed effort was saved by Walton in the final minute of stoppage time. It would have been an absolute injustice had it snuck in.