Scott Tiffoney opened the scoring for rampant Dundee with a low drive
A superb first-half display earned Dundee a comfortable Scottish Premiership victory against below-par Hearts at Dens Park.
Scott Tiffoney fired in the opener after a poor clearance from visiting goalkeeper Zander Clark and Steven Naismith's side never recovered in a dismal opening period.
Gerald Taylor netted a calamitous own goal in first-half stoppage time and just seconds later Frankie Kent fouled Tiffoney to concede a penalty, which Luke McCowan calmly dispatched.
Things appeared to get worse for Hearts when Lyall Cameron netted from Seb Palmer-Houlden's cross, but a handball from Mo Sylla in the build-up denied the hosts a fourth.
Hearts pulled one back through Kent's close-range header.
But some wasteful finishing meant a potential comeback never looked likely.
The only real negative for Tony Docherty's Dundee was an injury to left-back Ziyad Larkeche, who was carried off on a stretcher in the second half.
Disciplined Dundee continue to impress
Punching above their weight has almost become the norm for Dundee since they returned to the top flight and they overwhelmed Hearts in a superb opening half.
Docherty's side were organised in defence and hit Hearts again and again on the break as they poured forward at pace and in numbers.
Cameron had a shot from distance well saved before Tiffoney's opener and from there they stepped it up a gear.
Sylla was excellent at breaking up the play in midfield, allowing McCowan and Cameron to create and dictate, with Simon Murray his usual bundle of energy up front.
Roared on from the stands, Dundee appeared first to every second ball and their lead at the break was fully deserved.
They tired as the game went on and retreated more into their own half but that was understandable after such an intense opening half.
It is now 23 goals in six outings for Dundee this season and they look likely to build on last season's success.
Docherty's side will look to add to their goalscoring tally when they face Airdrieonians in League Cup action next Saturday.
Mistakes at both ends cost Hearts
Everything Dundee did well before the break was in sharp contrast to Hearts, who struggled to match the levels they reached against Rangers last weekend.
Having switched to a back five, they were ponderous in possession and struggled to create chances of note, with talisman Lawrence Shankland hardly involved in the action.
Clark's scuffed clearing kick immediately preceded him being beaten at his near post for Tiffoney's goal, and it was characteristic of a sloppy team performance.
They were outfought and outplayed by Dundee, but looked set to go into half-time just one goal down before a shambolic few minutes where they lost all discipline.
Taylor - so imposing against Rangers - was lucky to only see yellow for a wild challenge on Tiffoney and the Costa Rican defender got his feet in a tangle and put his attempted clearance past a wrong-footed Clark.
Kent then needlessly dangled a leg in the box, and 1-0 had become 3-0 in the blink of an eye.
Naismith showed his displeasure at the break with a triple substitution, bringing on Yan Dhanda, Malachi Boateng and Yutaro Oda, and it made a difference, but the damage had already been done.
The errors in their own box before the break were then compounded by poor misses in the second half.
Kent headed home to give Hearts hope but Oda failed to make contact with a superb Dhanda cross and then put a free header straight at Jon McCracken in the Dundee goal from four yards out.
A day to forget for Hearts, who will need to improve when they face Falkirk in the League Cup next Saturday.
What they said
Tony Docherty reacts to Hearts win
Dundee manager Tony Docherty: "That was almost a complete team performance. Deservedly we went in 3-0 at the break. The level of performance in and out of possession was outstanding.
"That sets the benchmark for us now. Hearts are a very good team. The players executed the game plan to the letter and showed real bravery with the ball. Our incisiveness and our decision-making was excellent.
"We'll need to make sure that we're as organised and resolute behind the ball, but also show that bravery in possession [against Airdrieonians]."
Hearts head coach Steven Naismith: "Really bad. To go in 3-0 down was really disappointing and the most frustrating thing is the goals are really poor. They are cheap from our point of view.
"If you want to be at a club like Hearts and you want to be successful, you have to empty your tank week in, week out.
"In the second half we created more chances. Oda had two really good chances but we don't take it. When those moments come, you have to take them because it changes the dynamic of the game."
Steven Naismith reacts to Dundee defeat
