Hibernian ended Dundee's 100% winning start to the new season in emphatic fashion to replace Ivano Bonetti's side on the top of the Premier League table.

French striker Didier Agathe, who was criticised for his glaring miss in the draw at Hearts, proved the doubters wrong again by conjuring up two magical finishes.

His double strike cancelled out an early opener from Fabian Caballero and gave him an impressive tally of four goals in two games.

After that Alex McLeish's men ran out comfortable victors with a double for substitute Dirk Lehmann and a goal for Stuart Lovell.

And the late sending off of Patrizio Billio only increased the agony for Bonetti's temperamental side.

They had won a few fans with their start to the new season, claiming wins over Motherwell and Dunfermline, and it was them who drew first blood as early as the ninth minute.

Georgi Nemsadze cut the ball back to Argentinian striker Caballero, who found himself in acres of space to fire a powerful right-foot shot into the bottom corner.

The visitors were living up to their pre-match billing early on, showing a lot of flair and creativity.

However, they were left stunned in the 16th minute when Hibernian got back on level terms, courtesy of a brilliant solo effort from Agathe.

Agathe, who missed a gilt-edged opportunity to sink Hearts on his debut, made the critics eat their words when Latapy played the ball to him on the half-way line and he superbly beat the challenge of four players before sliding the ball past a helpless Robert Douglas into the bottom corner.

The home side were fired up by their equaliser and they could have taken the lead in the 20th minute when Paatelainen rose in the area to head Latapy's corner just past the upright.

But despite the reputations of the visiting players Hibernian were showing that they also has the ability to entertain and cut through the strongest of defences.

Agathe, in particular, was beginning to hurt Dundee and in the 28th minute he shrugged off the challenge of Steven Tweed before pulling the ball back across the face of goal, but he was unable to pick out one of his team-mates and the chance went begging.

Moments later and Agathe was again involved when he laid the ball into the path of Jack, who fired a right-foot shot just over the bar from 25 yards.

But Hibernian were gifted a clearcut chance to take the lead in the 31st minute after Marco de Marchi had brought down Tom Smith in the area and referee George Clyde had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

The Italian was booked for his protests and Latapy looked odds-on to score from the spot, but goalkeeper Douglas had other ideas and pulled off a great save to his left to deny the Trinidadian striker.

But the home side did not let that moment get them down and they again went close in the 39th minute when Paatelainen headed Ulrik Laursen's cross into the path of John O'Neil, but he failed to capitalise and the visiting defence was grateful to clear the danger.

However, Hibs did not have to wait long to go in front and they did it in magnificent fashion with Agathe again producing a brilliant finish.

Latapy played a perfectly-weighted ball into his path and he did not give Barry Smith the time to put in a tackle before he curled a superb right-foot shot past Douglas.

Dundee's problems increased in stoppage time at the end of the first half when goalscorer Caballero was sent off for elbowing Jack after the Hibernian man had come in with a reckless tackle to floor the Argentinian.

Dundee came close to grabbing an equaliser in the 68th minute when Bonetti played the ball through to Juan Sara, who took it round goalkeeper Nick Colgan, but Paul Fenwick was on hand to make the clearance.

Dundee's revival was short-lived as substitute Dirk Lehmann, on for Paatelainen, made a dramatic contribution in the latter part of the game.

The former Fulham striker converted O'Neil's right-wing cross in the 81st minute and, two minutes later, he side-footed Laursen's centre past Douglas to put the result beyond a shadow of doubt.

Then, with just five minutes remaining, the ball broke to substitute Lovell in the area, who fired low past Douglas into the bottom corner to fire his side top of the table with an impressive seven points from three games.