Hibs yesterday recorded their first win at Ibrox since February 2018 with a well-deserved 2-0 victory making it 16-games unbeaten for David Gray’s men.
On that occasion Super John McGinn and Jamie Maclaren were on the scoresheet.
Gray went with the same starting XI that beat St Johnstone 3-0 last time out.
And it was the visitors that took an early lead when a long throw from Jack Iredale was headed away by former Hearts defender John Souttar.
The ball landed at the feet of Dylan Levitt who from 25-yards struck a powerful low drive through a forest of bodies and under Jack Butland.
As expected Rangers fought back and enjoyed a lot of possession but struggled to break down a resolute Hibs defence.
Cyriel Dessers tested Jordan Smith in the 27th minute but the Hibs keeper demonstrated why he holds down the jersey.
Hibs started the second half on the front foot but the best chance fell to the hosts a ball over the top released substitute Nadim Bajrami but his rising effort beat Smith only to crash back off the crossbar.
After having a penalty claim denied for a blatant handball, Hibs doubled their lead when Jordan Obita’s long ball released Martin Boyle through on goal and he kept his composure to slip the ball through the legs of Butland to score sparking delight from the 900 travelling suppoeters.
The cheering stopped after the linesman’s flag was raised but following a lengthy VAR check it was established that Boyle had run from his own half.
Rangers attempted to get back into the game as Ibrox emptied but the Hibs defence to a man were magnificent.
After the final whistle a delighted Gray told BBC Sportsound: “It’s huge. 2018 was the last time a Hibs team came here and won. The way we started the game was huge, the composure we showed and getting the goal.
“You put a game plan in place knowing Rangers are going to have a lot of the ball, so you have to be really disciplined without the ball. Every time there was a slight mistake, a teammate was there to bail them out. A massive collective performance – the subs came on and impacted the game.
“It’s an incredible run and the players deserve all the credit for it. The big thing was trusting what we were doing. Not being too high when it’s good and not being too low when it wasn’t.
“I never stopped believing and it’s been a huge collective effort from everyone involved.
“If we keep winning games, nobody can catch us and that’s the mindset moving forwards.”
Rangers interim manager Barry Ferguson added: “Angry, really angry in fact – that’s the most simple way I can put it. There’s no way I’m accepting that.
“I’m not going to kid anybody on. Hibs deserved it. They tackled harder, ran harder and wanted it more.
“This [season] is in real danger of just petering out. It’s about pride. I know we’re in the Europa League, but those are easy games to get up for.”
Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Sterling, Souttar, Jefte, Barron, Diomande, Raskin, Cerny, Igamane, Dessers.
Substitutes: Kelly, Propper, Cortes, Bajrami, Balogun, Hagi, McCausland, Curtis, Danilo.
Hibernian: Smith, C Cadden, Miller, Bushiri, Iredale, Obita, Levitt, Triantis, Hoilett, Boyle, Kuharevich.
Substitutes: Bursik, Ekpiteta, O’Hora, Alasana, N Cadden, Bowie, Moriah-Welsh, Campbell, Gayle.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
