Hibee History: Rae lets Hibs make their point at Ibrox

This was an important point for Hibs, thoroughly deserved, and had they pushed home their advantage in the closing minutes after Gordon Rae had headed a glorious equaliser, they could perhaps have taken both points.

Instead, for the last four minutes they wasted time, took no risks, and got a point which could well ensure, at this early stage, another season in the Premier Division.

Overall Hibs were, on the day, a better team than Rangers. They were quicker to the ball, they had a fresher approach, and on a pitch that has not recovered from the installation of an underground heating system because of the drought their passing was superior.

Three times young Gary Murray was clean through but three times he squandered the chances but, as Bertie Auld said later, the vital aspect was that the opportunities had been created.

Ralph Callachan caused Rangers problems with some fine long passes; Ally MacLeod was on the spot, as he so often is, to tap home the first Hibs equaliser from a cross by Alan Sneddon, and Jim McArthur saved a penalty kick from Tommy McLean. Not that McArthur had all that much to do for Craig Paterson and Jackie McNamara were well able to deal with a rather stodgy Ibrox attack.

Those one-time wingers, Cooper and McLean, were buried by Rangers in the midfield, and found no space in which to launch colleagues in attack.

There is an arrogant complacency about Rangers' play, perhaps influenced by their magnificent stadium, surely the best in Europe, that is going to catch them out. No-one owes Rangers a living.

When Jim Bett scrambled a goal in the 12th minute to put Rangers ahead, perhaps they thought that was the end of the lads from the soccer's back woods, Edinburgh. Two minutes later MacLeod answered that.

Davie Cooper's lofted free-kick over a wall of players which went in at the top right hand corner was a great goal in the 78th minute.

There were 22,000 at a match which would have attracted double that number not so long ago. The Hibs supporters were squeezed into a tiny corner of the ground. One band of green-clad enthusiasts were so intimidated that police had to escort them to another part of the stadium. It's a problem Rangers must work on. There's no point in having a great new stadium if visitors are not welcome.