Head coach David Gray admits he feels "like we've been in this movie before" and "it isn't going to change any time soon" after a humbling 4-1 defeat at Dundee kept Hibernian bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

The struggling Edinburgh side led early on through Nicky Cadden's goal, but Jordan Obita's red card 10 minutes later for a crunching challenge on Mo Sylla was followed by three Dundee goals before half-time.

Jordan McGhee and Seb Palmer-Houlden scored either side of a Nectarios Triantis own goal as Hibs collapsed, before a late strike by Curtis Main compounded the misery.

"It's very hard to defend it when we're in the situation we're in," said Gray, with his side one points behind city rivals Hearts after 13 games. "I'm not going to come up with an excuse or try and justify it.

"I still believe we are good enough to get out of it. There's enough togetherness in the dressing room that I do believe I can turn it round.

"There's certainly no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We need points and we need them quickly."

Hibs host Aberdeen on Tuesday and visit Motherwell on Saturday.

This game was not immune to the weather chaos that wreaked havoc with the day's card and kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes as thick fog descended on Dens Park.

That did not unsettle the visitors, who scored after just two minutes with Cadden finishing coolly after a great ball in from the left by Obita.

Obita went from hero to villain soon after and, with the numerical advantage, Dundee were soon back level, McGhee sweeping into the net after a flowing move.

They took the lead on the half hour, Portales seeing his near-post flick deflected into the net by unfortunate Hibs midfielder Triantis.

A calamitous opening 45 minutes for Gray's side was summed up in first-half added time as Dundee extended their lead - Hibs keeper Josef Bursik took a poor touch that was seized upon by Palmer-Houlden, who tapped in.

The second half was a less frantic affair. Hibs had a few chances - Joe Newell and Elie Youan going close - while Palmer-Holden and Lyall Cameron did likewise for Dundee.

And, deep into added time, Main rubbed salt in Hibernian wounds with the fourth.

Sometimes it can take one incident to ignite a season, and perhaps that Obita red card could be the catalyst that does just that for Dundee.

Up to that point it looked like it was going to be a long night for the home side, after that they were a team transformed, playing with the swagger and attacking intent that was the hallmark of Tony Docherty’s team last season.

Dundee have played some good football this term without always getting results. Docherty will be hoping victory - and the manner of it - can be a launchpad for his side, who sit three points off the top six.

Three valuable points must provide the manager with real belief that his team can find themselves in the winners' enclosure more often than not over the coming weeks and months.

Circumstances often conspire against teams at the bottom of the table and Gray must feel like he cannot buy a break.

Amid their woeful start to the season they began this game in blistering fashion – perhaps allowing the large travelling support to start to believing a corner could about to be turned.

But any such hopes ended after Obita’s early red card and Gray will have been alarmed by the way his team folded like a deckchair after that setback.

If ever there was a time for leadership and character to come to the fore it was in that moment – both qualities were posted missing.

Gray got a vote of confidence from the Hibs powerbrokers during the international break, however he has been in the game long enough to know that will count for nothing if he cannot stop the rot.

Dundee manager Tony Docherty: "Absolutely delighted. Credit to the players, they got their reward for the performances they've been putting in of late.

"You could really see [Hibs] were really playing for their manager. The sending off impacts the game.

"Sometimes it's difficult when you play against 10 men. You need to show that intelligence, experience on the pitch and game management and I thought we did that fantastically well."

Hibernian head coach David Gray: "Very frustrated again. We got ourselves in front, had total control, then a moment of madness again, an individual decision, means 80 minutes with 10 men. The momentum shifted straight away.

"A couple of the goals we've lost - whether we had 10 or 11 players on the pitch - we can do better.

"The players kept going, kept showing that fight, kept playing with an effort and desire to try and get ourselves back in the game."