Rangers 0 Hibernian 2
Hibernian picked up their third win of the season over Rangers at Ibrox as goals from Scott Robertson and Lewis Stevenson were enough to ensure that Hibs leapfrogged Rangers into second place in the SFA Championship table - though still a massive 17 points behind table-toppers Hearts.
Alan Stubbs' charges rode their luck as Rangers wasted a host of chances with the score still at 1-0. Kenny McDowall for his part will feel aggrieved as he saw a legitimate claim for a Rangers penalty waved away by Steve McLean when Robertson handled from a Marius Zaliukas shot.
In truth, Kris Boyd was the biggest culprit on the night, missing the target entirely on four occasions when presented with clear-cut chances, highlighting once more that he is a shadow of his former self - he has now scored just twice in 20 games this season and has the most shots on and off target of any player at the club.
With Hearts almost certain to win automatic promotion, the play-off places are now only important with regard to avoiding the 3rd/4th place play-off for the right to play second - who will then play second from bottom in the Scottish Premiership for the right to compete in the top-flight next season.
The last time these two sides met, it was Kenny McDowall's first game in charge of Rangers and it ended badly at Easter Road with Hibernian putting four past the Gers for the first time since 1964. It was the first time Rangers had lost by four goals since Martin O'Neill took charge of Celtic for his first Old Firm game - that, famously, ended 6-2 to Celtic.
Hibs had also beaten Rangers 3-1 at Ibrox in September to record their first away win of the season, so revenge would have been on the Rangers players' minds heading into the game - and they started the brighter of the two teams, fashioning a number of early chances.
Indeed, Rangers almost scored with two shots in quick succession. The ball dropped to Haris Vuckvic outside the box and his low left footed effort was pushed away by Mark Oxley, but only as far as Kenny Miller who bent the ball around the stranded goalkeeper. Fortunately for Hibs, Liam Fontaine had gotten back onto the line to head clear. But with a Rangers goal seemingly imminent, Hibs took the lead completely against the run of play.
Scott Allan fed an inch perfect ball onto the run of Jason Cummings through the heart of the Rangers defence, and though Lee Robinson saved one-on-one to deny the striker his third goal in three games against the Gers this season, Scott Robertson followed up to tap the rebound into the empty net.
With Steve Simonsen suspended for breaching SFA rules on gambling and Cammy Bell out injured, it was only Robinson's third appearance of the season - he had kept two cleansheets prior to Robertson's goal.
With Hibs finding their feet, Rangers suffered a blow when Kenny Miller, who had started brightly, was forced off through injury. He was replaced by Nicky Clark who almost found himself one-on-one immediately when Boyd produced a clever one-touch pass - but the substitute lost his footing at the crucial moment and Hibs were able to clear.
Though Rangers continued to press, they couldn't create another clear-cut chance. An atrocious effort from 30 yards by Sebastian Faure just before the interval summed up Rangers' half which nearly ended in disaster when a typical Hibs break afforded Cummings an effort on goal, which he could only drag weakly wide of goal.
After the break, Boyd missed two headers from point-blank range, putting both wide from inside eight yards - his third and fourth off target efforts of the match. Sandwiched between these chances was an unlikely looping header from Faure which Oxley had to tip acrobatically over the bar after it threatened to dip in at the last moment.
Referee Steve McLean made a big call on 63 minutes and perhaps Oxley was at fault for taking the chance. Fontaine seemingly miscontrolled a non-threatening long ball from Law, which Oxley chose to pick up. McLean deemed it to be a deliberate backpass, resulting in the referee awarding an indirect free-kick inside the box to Rangers. Boyd was the one teed up for the shot, but his effort was blocked. He was hooked shortly afterwards.
Lee Wallace wanted a penalty in the 74th minute when he went down while giving chase to a pass with Robertson, but McLean waved away appeals. Marius Zaliukas was then booked for a foul on Hibs skipper David Gray on the right flank. From the resulting free-kick, Allan tried to cheekily beat Robinson at his near post by bending the shot around the outside of the wall and back in towards goal, but he hit the post.
But Hibs were not to be denied and they doubled their lead in the 81st minute. Substitute Fraser Fyvie bent a perfect ball into the run of Louis Stevenson and his shinned effort had enough on it to beat Robinson, who perhaps should have done better.
To make it more galling, Rangers were denied a penalty before the foul by Zaliuskas and it was the former Hearts skipper who nearly won it. A corner was only partially cleared by Hibs and his ambitious right foot volley bounced off the turf and onto the arm of goalscorer Robertson - but McLean ignored appeals for a penalty. The Stevenson goal then ended Rangers' hopes of getting anything from the game.
TEAMS:
Rangers: Lee Robinson; Sebastian Faure, Marius Zaliukas, Darren McGregor, Lee Wallace; Nick Law, Lee Murdoch, Kyle Hutton, Haris Vuckic; Kris Boyd (Dean Shiels, 77 mins), Kenny Miller (Nicky Clark, 30 mins). Subs: Liam Kelly, Craig Halkett, Ian Black, Fraser Aird, Jon Daly.
Booked: Marius Zaliukas (75 mins).
Sent off: None.
Hibernian: Mark Oxley; David Gray (c), Keith Watson, Paul Hanlon, Liam Fontaine; Scott Robertson, Scott Allan (Fraser Fyvie, 77 mins), Dylan McGeouch, Lewis Stevenson; Dominque Malonga, Jason Cummings (Martin Boyle, 62 mins). Subs: Tomas Cerny, Jordan Forster, Liam Craig, Sam Stanton, Frank Dja Djedjey.
Booked: Scott Allan (53 mins).
Sent off: None.
Referee: Steve McLean.
MATCH STATS (Rangers/Hibernian):
Shots: 20/3
Corners: 5/2
Fouls: 12/6
Offsides: 3/2
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