The former Hibee scored the opening goal of the game before winning a dramatic late penalty kick that ensured the basement boys ended their long winless run with a 2-1 victory.
Mykola Kuharevich had levelled for us before Jamie McGrath tucked away the crucial penalty kick in the 88th minute with a composed finish.
McGrath’s winning goal came just three minutes after Kevin Nisbet had struck the underside of the crossbar at the other end.
Ahead of kick-off boss Lee Johnston spoke about the need to get back to basics after the disappointing result and performance against Motherwell last weekend.
With that in mind he made four changes to his starting line-up with Elie Youan, Harry McKirdy, Joe Newell and Marijan Cabraja coming back into the side.
Paul Hanlon missed out through injury whilst Lewis Stevenson, Jake Doyle-Hayes and Matthew Hoppe all dropped to the substitutes’ bench.
We started brightly, moving the ball around with pace and purpose, and were unlucky not to be ahead inside two minutes as McKirdy’s low cross into the front post was turned goalward by Nisbet only for Mark Birighitti to block with his legs.
All the early pressing had come from us however it was the hosts that broke the deadlock on their first foray forward.
Aziz Behich got a second opportunity to swing in a cross and picked out Fletcher, who guided a powerful downward header beyond David Marshall to score.
The goal gave bottom-of-the-league United something to hold onto and they sat deep in an attempt to close out any space that we could take advantage of.
Chances were at a premium in a game lacking in quality and it took until the 33rd minute before another notable effort at goal.
Chris Cadden’s cross from the right was laid off by Youan to Josh Campbell and his first-time strike was gathered by Birighitti at his near post.
With half-time looming the Dundee United keeper saved a header from Will Fish before the home side counterattacked as Loick Ayina picked out Behich with a long ball and the Australian flashed an angled drive wide of the far post.
The gaffer would have been looking for a reaction from the boys after the break however we were fortunate not to be further behind as Fletcher missed a sitter shortly after the restart.
Freeman’s deep hanging cross found Behich at the back post and his lay-off was perfect for the unmarked Fletcher who uncharacteristically scooped the ball over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.
Dundee United had another chance soon after when Fish misjudged a high ball and that allowed Ian Harkes sight of goal, however the midfielder skewed his effort and Marsh gathered easily.
Another chance came and went for the home side to add to their lead when Behich got behind Cadden and picked out Ilmari Niskanen with his cut back and the substitute blasted it over the crossbar.
United’s wastefulness proved costly when we restored parity just moments later as Charlie Mulgrew got caught under Cabraja’s cross and Kuharevich calmly controlled the ball before blasting it into the back of the net from close range.
Behich’s running and movement had caused us problems all afternoon and he again carved out an opportunity on 72 minutes when his driven low cross was hooked clear at the back post by Egan-Riley before Fletcher would tap it in.
Ewan Henderson and Lewis Stevenson – making his 350th Scottish Premiership appearance – were introduced for the final 15 minutes as we pushed for a winner.
We went agonisingly close to taking the lead moments later when Nisbet’s wonderful free kick crashed back off the underside of the crossbar with Birighitti beaten and Kuharevich was unable to head in the rebound.
With five minutes remaining we almost grabbed a winner when Youan played a one-two with Nisbet to create a shooting opportunity before firing just wide from the edge of the box.
Then, with just two minutes of normal time remaining Dundee United were awarded a penalty kick after Fletcher went down under Fish’s challenge and McGrath sent Marshall the wrong way to score from the spot.
We tried to rally as Henderson forced a save from Birighitti in the first of six additional minutes before Nisbet dragged a shot wide soon after.
In the final minute Fish had one last chance however he could only shoot wide from a tight angle as the hosts held on for the win.
Dundee United: Birighitti, Ayina, Mulgrew, McMann, Freeman, Sibbald, Harkes (Sadat 88’), Behich, Fotheringham (Niskanen 60’), Fletcher (Edwards 92’), McGrath. Substitutes not used: Newman, Graham, Djoum, Cudjoe, Thomson, MacLeod.
Hibernian: Marshall, Cadden, Egan-Riley, Fish, Cabraja (Stevenson 75), Jeggo, Newell, Campbell (Kuharevich 58’), McKirdy (Henderson 75’), Nisbet, Youan (Jair 86’). Substitutes not used: Johnson, Miller, Doyle-Hayes, Hoppe, Devlin.
Referee: David Munro.
