Hibs view: Sean Mackie red card changed the game claims Paul Heckingbottom

A disappointed Sean Mackie after being sent off at Ibrox. Picture: SNS

Mackie was sent off ten minutes into the second half for a second bookable offence when Hibs were trailing just 2-1.

While manager Heckingbottom admitted his team did not deserve to take anything from the match, he felt the final 6-1 scoreline hinged on Mackie’s dismissal. It was Hibs’ heaviest league loss to the Ibrox side since Rangers won 7-0 back in December 1995.

“It was a tough afternoon and it got tougher as the minutes went on,” said Heckingbottom.

“You can break it into three parts for me. The first 35 minutes, we were second best so that’s what set the tone for the game. We got back into it with our goal and that allowed us to make some passes and make some changes at half-time.

“We were comfortable then and thinking about different things.

“But then the sending off totally changes the game. That’s not to say we deserved anything out of the game, do you get what I mean?

“But the game was in three bits. We started on the back foot where we were poor and Rangers were good which made it difficult for us.

“We got through that. A good bit of quality – our first bit of quality – created the goal and gave us a chance.

“I was pleased with the start of the second half but the sending off makes it tough. We made bad decisions. It’s all a different area of the game having ten men but we made bad decisions and didn’t retain the ball well enough and that’s why we got punished.”