Hibernian 2 (Townsley 20, O’Connor 88)
Rangers 4 (Lovenkrands 2 {64,86}, De Boer 6, Ferguson 45 Pen)
Attendance 11,633
Rangers secured a 4-2 victory over Hibernian at Easter Road this afternoon in a game where the scoreline does not even begin to reflect the visitors’ superiority.
Both Tore Andre Flo and Garry O’Connor – the subject of much transfer speculation this week - found themselves on their respective substitute benches.
The pace was hectic from the opening seconds on a dreich afternoon weather-wise, with huge gaps in the home support.
Rangers struck early when Mikel Arteta’s slide-rule pass in six minutes released Peter Lovenkrands wide on the left, a low cross into the box being turned home by Ronald De Boer.
Sixty seconds later it should have been 2-0 when Arteta’s hanging cross was headed home by Shota Arveladze only to be disallowed for offside on the say of Assistant Referee Francis Andrews, a decision that was blatantly unjust.
Rangers were in total command of the opening half-hour, at times outclassing their opponents, with Lovenkrands’ pace on the left creating havoc in the home defence – as was highlighted when both Gary Smith and Paco Luna were yellow-carded for fouls on the Dane.
A one-goal lead is of course never enough, and the Ibrox men should have heeded a 29th minutes warning when substitute Derek Townsley’s thirty-yard free-kick flashed inches wide of the post, but four minutes later the scores were level when a Tom McManus corner broke off Luna for Townsley to sweep the ball home.
Within a minute Hibernian should have been reduced to ten men when goalkeeper Nick Colgan broke up a Rangers attack by deliberate handball, yet incredibly Referee Hugh Dallas produced only a yellow card.
Both Peter Lovenkrands and Lorenzo Amoruso were yellow-carded for dissent as the game threatened to run away from Rangers with the interval fast approaching, but on the stroke of half-time Lovenkrands was hauled down by Mathias Doumbe inside the box and Barry Ferguson duly converted the resultant penalty to restore the Ibrox lead.
The incessant rain was producing surface water on the pitch, but the game appeared in no danger as the second-half began.
Rangers continued to create chances with Lovenkrands the main danger. In 50 minutes he might have done better than sky an Arteta cross over the bar, then five minutes later an Arteta – Lovenkrands – De Boer move sliced open the Hibs’ defence only for the Dutch midfielder to be denied by the outrushing Colgan.
Garry O’Connor, the subject of Ibrox interest, was introduced to the fray in 58 minutes when he replaced Frederic Dacquin.
Rangers finally put daylight between themselves and their opponents in 64 minutes when Lovenkrands stabbed a Ricksen cross home to make it 3-1.
Two minutes later Hibs were reduced to ten men when Luna handled the ball as he went for an O’Connor cross, and received his second yellow card. An Arveladze head-flick from a De Boer cross in 69 minutes was inches wide as Rangers sought to wrap up the game.
Tore Andre Flo was introduced in 78 minutes for what may be his final appearance in Light Blue, replacing De Boer.
Goal Number Four duly arrived in 86 minutes when Lovenkrands went through on a Ferguson pass to slot the ball home.
Slackness in defence enabled Hibernian to reduce the deficit in the dying minutes when O’Connor netted from a Brebner corner.
HIBERNIAN Colgan; Doumbe, Smith, Fenwick, Murray; Dacquin (O’Connor 58), Brebner, Jack, Arpinon (Townsley 20); McManus (Paatelainen 74), Luna
UNUSED SUBS. Caig, Wiss.
RANGERS Klos; Muscat, Moore, Amoruso, Numan; Ricksen, Ferguson, Arteta, Lovenkrands; Arveladze, De Boer (Flo 78)
UNUSED SUBS. McGregor, Latapy, Ross, Konterman
REFEREE Hugh Dallas