Football: Rangers are really rattled

(First Edition)

Hibernian. . .3

Rangers. . . .4

IN A THRILLING Premier League tie, Rangers were given the fright of their lives as Hibs tested a shaky-looking defence to the full. However, the sheer power of the Ibrox scoring machine won the day.

Rangers could have been three up inside 20 minutes - through Ally McCoist, twice, and Mark Hateley - but it took over 30 minutes for Hibs to construct an attack, Keith Wright heading a Mickey Weir cross wide.

Quick thinking by Trevor Steven saw Rangers take the lead a minute before the break. He took an early free kick on the halfway line to David Robertson, who sprinted down the left flank and crossed to Alexei Mikhailichenko. He botched his shot, but sent the keeper the wrong way, and Hateley drilled home a low shot.

In an extraordinary second half Hibs dominated for 20 minutes, Darren Jackson missing two golden chances and Wright hitting the post with a header. They equalised when Pat McGinlay headed home from a corner.

However, this only unleashed the full might of the Rangers attack. Stung, they were ahead again within 60 seconds, Steven tucking the ball away as Hibs failed to clear. Then, two minutes later, Hateley added a third, heading in from a Mikhailichenko corner.

Hibs were not finished yet as poor defending by Rangers let Darren Jackson pull another goal back, but the irrepressible Ally McCoist made it safe for Rangers in the 85th minute with a low shot.

However, Hibs would not lie down and, when Jackson forced a brilliant save from Andy Goram in the 89th minute, McGinlay was on hand to stroke away the rebound.

Hibernian: C Reid, N Orr, G Mitchell, G Hunter, B Hamilton, M Macleod (W Miller 21 min), M Weir, G Evans, K Wright, D Jackson, P McGinlay. Sub not used: S Fellenger. Manager: A Miller.

Rangers: A Goram, G Stevens, D Robertson, D Gordon (P Huistra 81 min), D McPherson, J Brown, T Steven, S McCall, A McCoist, M Hateley, A Mikhailichenko. Sub not used: I Durrant. Manager: W Smith.

Referee: A M Roy (Aberdeen).

Goals: Hateley (0-1 43 min), McGinlay (1-1 69 min), Steven (1-2 70 min), Hateley (1-3 72 min), Jackson (2-3 77 min), McCoist (2-4 85 min), McGinlay (3-4 90 min).