Hibernian 1 - 4 Rangers: Demolition experts Rangers reduce Hibs' run to rubble

Published on Sunday 27 December 2009 21:23

SOME demolitions are haphazard, ramshackle affairs with bricks and dust flying everywhere. This one was carried out with surgical precision, as Rangers systematically reduced Hibernian's long unbeaten run to a tidy pile of rubble, and at the same time restored their four-point lead at the top of the SPL.

Their success in stringing together a dozen games without defeat before yesterday had led some Hibs players to make increasingly confident assertions about their title chances, but the club's official policy, as stated by manager John Hughes, was always to play down such hopes. The wisdom of that policy was there for all to see in this match, as the champions fought back from conceding the quickest goal in SPL history to put together a comprehensive victory.

Anthony Stokes's opener after 12.4 seconds had Rangers reeling at the time, but in the end it had no more significance than a gnat sting on an elephant's hide. Level by 20 minutes then ahead before half-time, Rangers killed off the contest in the opening stages of the second half and could easily have won by more had they not chosen to conserve a little energy late on.

Physically and mentally stronger, Walter Smith's team were in imperious form from the equaliser on. Not a single Rangers player had touched the ball before Stokes stroked it into the net, but by the end every man in blue had played his part in a comprehensive comeback. That recovery took some time to gather momentum, as Hibs played the better football for the first quarter of the game, but once it was under way it was unstoppable.

Having said that, Hibs did contribute to their own undoing by allowing their own high standards to slip. After scoring so quickly they struggled to create another clear-cut chance even during that spell when they were playing at their best, and by the second-half hardly existed as an attacking force.

Such an outcome would have been hard to predict after the breathtaking opening to the game. Stokes kicked off to Colin Nish, who passed to Merouane Zemmama. The little Moroccan danced round three defenders and slipped a pass through to Stokes, who was just onside at the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. As Allan McGregor rushed out to meet him, the Irishman shot across the goalkeeper and into the far corner of the net.

Unsurprisingly, Hibs began to stroke the ball round with considerable confidence after that bright beginning, but the self-belief began to drain out of them once Rangers equalised. Nacho Novo began the move, intercepting a ball from Liam Miller and passing infield to Kris Boyd. The striker delivered a well-weighted pass into the path of Kenny Miller, whose right-footed shot from 20 yards beat Yves Makalambay low to his left.

Having got back on terms, Rangers pressed home their dominance, and took the lead after some slack Hibs defending at a corner. Sol Bamba, a surprise inclusion in the home ranks after being given permission to report for African Cup of Nations duty with Ivory Coast later than originally requested, cleared to Derek Riordan not far outside the box. Instead of opting for safety first and putting the ball out of play, Riordan tried to dribble his way out of trouble and was dispossessed by Madjid Bougherra. The Algerian's low cross from the right was met by Boyd, who netted first time.

When half-time came it was clear that another goal for Rangers would end the contest. It duly arrived seven minutes into the second half, though to what extent it was intentional is a moot point. Taking possession on the left from Kenny Miller, Novo raced into the box. With Boyd making space for himself in the centre, a pass infield seemed the obvious choice.

Makalambay certainly thought so, and took a step out of his goal just as Novo was about to make contact.

The keeper's movement allowed the Spaniard just enough room to score at the near post, although television replays left it uncertain whether Novo had meant to go for goal or had simply had a lucky mis-hit.

With Hibs pressing in search of a way back into the game, the Rangers strike force were enjoying a lot of space on the counter-attack, and with 25 minutes to play Boyd and Miller combined again to produce their team's fourth. Staying just onside, Miller ran on to Boyd's pass down the middle, took a couple of touches, and then slotted the ball past the hapless Makalambay, whose mobility had already been hampered by a hamstring strain.

Watching from the main stand, new Scotland manager Craig Levein cannot have failed to be impressed by the Rangers duo, although it should be said many international defences are harder to break down than Hibs were by this point. With only pride to play for in the remaining 25 minutes, Hibs mustered no more than the occasional goal threat, substitute Abdessalam Benjelloun's 77th-minute shot being their only on-target effort during that period. For their part, Rangers too offered little menace late on, but then they did not need to, having already reasserted their championship credentials in emphatic style.

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