Rangers 3 Hibs 1
Despite a brave performance in Govan on Easter Saturday, Hibs left empty-handed after losing 3-1 to league leaders, Rangers.
We competed throughout and gave a good account of ourselves however we were undone by three terrific finishes.
A remarkable afternoon began with David Marshall saving James Tavernier’s penalty kick before the Rangers skipper got his own back minutes later with a stunning volley to break the deadlock.
Myziane Maolida showed terrific footwork to level the match in first half stoppage time only for Cyril Dessers to restore the hosts’ lead before the break.
We pushed Rangers in the second half but a stunning finish from Rabbi Matondo eventually settled the contest late on.
Nick Montgomery stuck with the same starting XI that performed superbly in our last outing against Livingston.
On the bench, we were able to welcome Martin Boyle back to the side after the winger suffered concussion when Hibs met Rangers in the Scottish Cup earlier in the month.
Youngster Rory Whittaker was originally named alongside Boyle on the bench however he became unwell and was replaced just before kick-off by Jacob MacIntyre.
The hosts piled on early pressure by winning a series of corner kicks and they went close to a breakthrough when Scott Wright struck a vicious low drive just wide of goal from 25 yards.
We looked potent on the counterattack with Adam Le Fondre and Joe Newell both having efforts blocked inside the Rangers box.
On 16 minutes, it took a fantastic goalline clearance from Jordan Obita to keep out Wright as the Rangers winger appeared certain to score after being teed up by Dessers.
From the resultant corner kick, Mohamed Diomande saw a rising effort from 25 yards pushed away by Marshall diving to his right.
Then, controversially, the hosts were awarded a penalty as VAR spotted an accidental clash between Nectar Triantis and John Souttar. The Hibs defender didn’t appear to know much about it as he caught Souttar as the ball sailed high over both their heads.
Yet, referee David Dickinson was sent to the monitor and awarded a harsh spot kick, which Marshall saved from Tavernier, only for Wright to react quickest and slam in the rebound.
Incredibly, there was more drama as VAR decreed that Wright was encroaching as the kick was taken and the goal was chalked off.
It may have been justice following the harsh decision to award the penalty kick, however we failed to heed the warning as Rangers broke the deadlock just moments later.
Todd Cantwell fed the ball on the left to John Lundstram on the overlap and although Will Fish got something on his cross, the ball dropped kindly for Tavernier who smashed an unstoppable volley beyond Marshall.
Despite the loss of the opening goal, we were maintaining a good shape and limiting the hosts to few opportunities whilst looking dangerous on the break ourselves.
The two big VAR calls meant there was seven minutes of added time at the end of the first half and in the first of those, we silenced the home crowd by levelling.
Myziane picked the ball up on half-way before driving forward and laying it off to Youan who held it up before returning it; there was still a lot of work to do for Maolida who stepped away from Conor Goldson before stabbing past Jack Butland to score.
It was a wonderful piece of skill from Myziane to notch his seventh goal of the season and once more it was Youan providing the assist.
Yet, having worked so hard to get ourselves level we were guilty of defending too deeply in the remaining moments as Dessers got goal side of Fish to head in from Cantwell's cross in the seventh minute of added time.
Rangers started the second half on the front foot with Marshall called into action to save a deflected Cantwell shot at his near post.
Then, Lundstram’s powerful shot appeared to be testing Marshall at the very least only for the ball to strike Dessers and deflect wide of goal.
On 48 minutes, we worked a good opportunity for Le Fondre however the experienced striker attempted to be too clever with his lobbed finish which Butland read and saved comfortably.
Play was soon racing to the other end and from Barisic’s cross Dessers must’ve thought he had his second of the afternoon only for Marshall to make a stunning one-handed save to thwart him.
Chances continued to come thick and fast with Tavernier and Myziane both dragging shots just wide of goal from the edge of the respective boxes.
Rangers should have made it 3-1 on the hour after Tavernier burst clear on the right before picking out Dessers who appeared certain to score only to slice his shot wide from seven yards out.
We were holding our own and remaining a threat on the counterattack, however Rangers finally made sure of the points with six minutes remaining when substitute Rabbi Matondo peeled inside - off the left flank - and unleashed a stunning right foot finish that left Marshall helpless, to find the far corner of the net.
In the 95th minute, the hosts could’ve added to their advantage when substitute Sima raced through but under pressure from Fish, he dragged his shot wide of the far post.