superb 3-0 win over Hibernian at Ibrox this afternoon.
It was a day when the Light Blues wholly outplayed
opponents who had travelled west with a run of five
successive wins behind them and in total nine
unbeaten, yet fully aware that it had been almost ten
years since their last win at Ibrox.
A capacity 50.143 crowd looked on in horrendous
weather conditions as the home side turned in arguably
their best performance in almost two years.
Manager Alex McLeish made two changes from Hampden
with Alan Hutton and Barry Ferguson replacing Maurice
Ross and Alex Rae. Fernando Ricksen captained the side
in the absence of both Stefan Klos and Rae.
Hibs took the field wearing all white, and should have
found themselves behind in the first minute when Nacho
Novo shot wide from a Dado Prso opening.
Visiting goalkeeper Simon Brown denied Prso in twelve
minutes, blocking the Croatian's stabbed shot after
Ricksen had created the opening with a surging run.
It was all Rangers - moving forward with skill, pace
and flowing football, harnessing the elements to their
advantage, but not yet breaking the deadlock - Novo
spurning another glorious opportunity in 25 minutes
when he shot wide from a Ricksen cutback.
Two minutes later Brown made an outstanding double
save - firstly denying Novo with a one-handed stop
after Ferguson had created the opening, then turning
wide Thomas Buffel's effort from the rebound.
Alan Hutton's solo run almost caught Brown by surprise
in 33 minutes, the goalkeeper scrambling the
full-back's twenty-yard shot behind.
The opening goal was delayed only until the resultant
corner, Ricksen's kick being headed home by the
unmarked Prso.
Sixty seconds later Rangers had a strong penalty claim
denied when Novo, homing in on a Buffel pass, was
downed by Gary Caldwell. Referee Craig Thomson turned
a deaf ear to the appeals.
The woodwork came to Hibs' rescue in 36 minutes when
Prso struck the post from a Ferguson pass, then
immediately afterwards Dado found the net from a
Buffel pass only for the goal to be disallowed for
offside.
Rangers were in fact awarded a penalty just five
minutes after their initial claim when Gary Smith
scythed Novo down. Nacho took the spot-kick himself,
and for the second successive game saw his effort
saved by the goalkeeper.
Undaunted Rangers continued to pour forward, and might
have doubled their lead just before the break when
Novo's clever turn took him clear, only for Ricksen to
miss-kick his cutback altogether.
A one-goal lead was scant reward for the Light Blues'
overwhelming superiority - and Rangers set about
rectifying that injustice from the restart.
Buffel was in superb form - and created yet another
opening in 48 minutes with a cutback to Prso whose
effort was blocked.
Dado was not to be denied however - sweeping the ball
home for Goal Number Two at the end of a Novo - Buffel
move that cut the Hibs' defence wide open.
The Leith men were not yet finished however - Garry
O'Connor twice coming close, firstly when he shot
across the face of goal from Derek Riordan's pass in
53 minutes, then three minutes later he was denied by
a superb save from Ronald Waterreus after the wind had
played havoc with the defenders attempts to clear.
It was 3-0 on the hour when Buffel, released by Prso,
calmly evaded a defender and switched from left foot
to right before slotting the ball home.
Ten minutes later Brown denied Prso his hat-trick when
he turned over a twenty-yard drive that was the
culmination of a Buffel - Novo move.
That was the Croatian's final act, as he was
substituted to a fully deserved standing ovation
immediately afterwards, being replaced by Steven
Thomson. Shota Arveladze also replaced Novo at the
same time.
Rangers played out time content with what had been a
tremendously impressive performance, with Thomas
Buffel, Dado Prso, Barry Ferguson and Fernando Ricksen
all in outstanding form.
Afterwards a content Alex McLeish summarised:
"That was as good a performance as any this season. It
was hard to believe that we were only one goal ahead
at the interval. It will give the players confidence.
There is now competition in the squad. Belief is
gathering momentum."
RANGERS Waterreus; Hutton, Andrews, Kyrgiakos, Ball;
Ricksen, Buffel, Ferguson (A. Rae 82), Vignal; Prso
(Thompson 70), Novo (Arveladze 70)
UNUSED SUBS McGregor, Malcolm, Burke, Namouchi
HIBERNIAN Simon Brown; Whittaker, Caldwell, Smith,
Murphy (Fletcher 79); Shiels, Morrow (A. Murray 54),
I. Murray, Glass; O'Connor, Riordan (Konte 54)
UNUSED SUBS A. Brown, Beuzelin, McCluskey, Orman
REFEREE Craig Thomson
Attendance 50,143