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Juanma levels from the penalty spot at Dens Park

Juanma scored twice as Hearts came from behind at Dundee to move top of the Scottish Premiership.

The Spanish striker converted a penalty early in the second half and found the net with a low shot following an excellent run soon after.

The visitors had been second best before the interval and fell behind to an early Kane Hemmings header.

But Dundee could not add to their lead and struggled to create openings once Hearts moved ahead.

Paul Hartley's men, who won just five home league matches last season, were full of verve and invention in a first half packed full of chances as they looked to build on their opening 4-0 victory at Kilmarnock.

However, promoted Hearts, who were 4-3 winners against St Johnstone last weekend, improved defensively after the break and saw the game out comfortably after Juanma's brace of goals.

The hosts were ahead after five minutes when Hemmings was left unattended to nod in from a corner, which came after his stinging shot was touched behind by Neil Alexander.

Hearts lacked the hosts' early fluency but should have levelled after a neat move ended with Juanma setting up Jamie Walker, who could not beat Scott Bain with a weak shot then headed the rebound over with an empty net gaping.

Mere moments later, Dundee midfielder Paul McGowan slid in to meet a lovely pass from Hemmings but could only shoot straight at Alexander.

Hartley's side continued to find holes in the visiting rearguard, with Gary Harkins shooting into the side-netting before Hearts passed up another golden opportunity.

This time it was Juanma throwing himself into a close-range header and somehow missing the target.

Left-back Kevin Holt was always eager to get forward and came close to extending Dundee's lead in the final attack of the first half but Alexander produced a great save, low at the back post, to keep out a strong, downward header.

Hemmings finds the net with a fifth-minute header

Following a quiet 45 minutes at left-back, new Hearts signing Juwon Oshaniwa was pushed into a more advanced role and last weekend's match-winner Sam Nicholson was introduced early in the second half.

The substitute made an immediate impact when his cross was handled by James McPake and Juanma calmly tucked away the resultant penalty.

The Spaniard then knocked in his third goal in two games, slaloming past a couple of sliding challenges and slotting a composed shot into the net.

With the momentum shifted in the visitors' favour, Dundee could not find any kind of response and Hearts were rarely troubled thereafter.

A break involving Gavin Reilly presented Walker with the chance to stretch the Edinburgh side's advantage but his scuffed strike from 18 yards was easily gathered by Bain.