Watching this match was like waking up after a bad dream to a bright summers day when suddenly everything seems all right with the world. This was football as it should be played. Two teams determined to attack and win the game, lots of skill and goals, and twenty-two players (with a couple of exceptions) wanting to pass the football. A beautiful and rare sight.

Hibs were excellent and so, despite the scoreline, were Dundee. The fact that it was Dundee, a team famed for long balls and dour doggedness last season, made it all the more incredible. They came out and showed, especially in the first fifteen minutes, a willingness to pass and move that was great to watch. Anchoring them in the past, however, was ex-Hibee Steven Tweed, one of the worst distributors of a football you will ever see, looking almost surreal amongst all these silky, long haired, slick passing Latins.

Dundee came out of the blocks faster and it did not take long to see why they had two victories under their belt and their goal after about eight minutes was a beauty. The Argentinian forward, Caballero, was proving fast and elusive, and a simple run into space from him was enough to prove Hibs undoing. The ball was slotted through to him and he despatched it past Nick Colgan without breaking his stride or looking up.

The goal was met with stunned silence by the home support and some anxious looks. The team to their great credit however did not panic and played their way slowly back into the game, matching and finally surpassing Dundee at the passing game as the half wore on. It was a measure of how many problems Hibs were encountering however that we saw Franck Sauzee, a man who strolled through the last two games, looking agitated and charging out of defence on several occasions to put in some ferocious challenges and to try and gee up his teamates. On one occasion, big Franck was lucky to escape a booking as he went right through Caballero from behind without getting anywhere near the ball - most out of character.

Hibs gradually gained the ascendancy and the game was being played more and more in the Dundee half. Once again the man who provided the goals was Didier Agathe and his first was a screamer. Picking the ball up just inside the Dundee half, he set off on an amazing solo run, beating about four Dundee players before coolly slotting the ball behind Robert Douglas. A superb effort and the crowd were ecstatic.

Hibs were looking more and more assured as they pressed for a second and the perfect opportunity arose when we were awarded a penalty for a challenge by Dundee manager, Bonetti, on Tom Smith. What followed was something you often see Italian teams do on TV - a prolonged campaign of protestation to the referee which you felt might never end. I was aware at the time of how long Latapy was standing poised to take the kick. Every time you felt the box was clear and the referee would allow the kick to be taken, another Dundee player would wander in to make his point to the official. Eventually Latapy was allowed to proceed. He placed it towards the corner but at a comfortable height and Douglas guessed right and saved. We will never know if all the waiting got to Latapy, but I have seen him take much better penalties in the past.

One great thing about Latapy is that things like that miss do not affect his confidence and it was not long before he made up for it, feeding a perfect diagonal ball in front of Agathe and giving him enough time to pick his spot. This he did with great aplomb and the Hibees support were in raptures, celebrating with their new hero. David Zitelli had been paraded to the home support before the kick-off but Agathe made sure with this performance that it will not be him who is dropped to make way for the new arrival.

Amongst all the slick passing football that was on display, I should point out that there were some hefty challenges going in as both teams were desperate for a victory. Dundee picked up several bookings during the game and rightly so. Matthias Jack, as his new role dictates, had been doing a lot of ball winning in the Hibs midfield, and had been in several meaty challenges already. As the half drew to a close, an incident occurred that changed the nature and shape of the game. A series of tough but fair challenges from both sides was brought to a close by a thumping tackle from Jack. It happened right in front of me and I can categorically confirm that he took the ball. Caballero, the recipient of this challenge, did not take it well however and clearly struck the big German in the face. A red card for the Argentinian and a yellow for Jack, which I did not think he deserved.

The half time whistle blew and the buzz around the ground was audible. One of the best forty-five minutes of entertainment I have seen at Easter Road for a long time and enough talking points for the rest of the day, never mind the fifteen minute break.

At 2-1 ahead and with Dundee down to ten men, you felt it must be all Hibs in the second half but it did not turn out that way during the first thirty minutes. Hibs seemed unsure whether to go all out for a third goal or to make sure they did not lose one at the other end. The result was that Dundee more than held their own for half an hour and you would not really have known they were a man short.

The game was finally turned categorically Hibs way by an inspired substitution when Lehmann came on for Paatelainen. Dirk has something to prove having started the first three games on the bench and this he went about doing almost immediately. After eighty minutes, a short corner from Latapy to O'Neil was finally swung into the box and Lehmann soared highest at the far post to nod down into the corner past Douglas. The game was now over and the Hibs support could relax, celebrate and sing.

The German striker was not finished however and grabbed a second a minute later when great work down the left between Agathe and Laursen ended with the lanky Dane squaring across the box for Lehmann to slot home. Just one of a number of surging runs from Laursen who is proving a tremendous signing and a great favourite with the fans.

McLeish also gave run outs to Ian Murray and Stuart Lovell in the closing stages. Lovell replaced Jack who already had a caution and had been spoken to again by the referee so a sensible precaution.

Not to be outdone by Lehmann, Lovell decided to grab a goal for himself as well. His first effort was blocked but a neat change of feet allowed him to skip past a Dundee defender and he rifled a shot into the bottom corner.

Dundee's misery was complete in the dying moments when Billio needlessly picked up a second caution and trudged disconsolately from the pitch as the last of the away support made for the exits.

A tremendous overall performance from Hibs and I have to say that I think we would have been good enough to win even if Dundee had kept eleven men on the pitch.

I felt sorry for Dundee after they added so much to a great game. There is no way they deserved a 5-1, 9 man, defeat. I am not sure how deep their squad is but I reckon on this performance they will go far this year and what a contrast they were to the totally inept Dundee United last week.

Everyone contributed for Hibs in a wonderful team performance but if I had to pick out one player, apart from Agathe and Lehmann who will make the headlines, it would be Ulrik Laursen. He adds another dimension going forward and I don't think it will be long before he scores his first goal.

Hibs Team 3-5-2

Colgan
G.Smith, Sauzee, Fenwick
T.Smith, Latapy, Jack (Lovell), O'Neil, Laursen (Murray)
Agathe, Paatelainen (Lehmann)

Subs not used : Westwater, McManus