Rangers bounce back to beat Hibs

Rangers 5 Hibernian 2

Rangers twice came back from behind to down Hibernian with three goals in the final half hour and maintain their 100% league record.

The final scoreline will be painful to the visitors, for whom Tom McManus missed a penalty with the score at 2-2.

For an hour Rangers were rocking but Stefan Klos’ save enabled man-of-the match Michael Mols to give his side a lead they went on to extend through a Mikel Arteta free kick and a late strike from substitute Chris Burke.

It had been all square at the break as Ian Murray and then McManus put Hibs ahead on two occasions only to be pegged back by Mols’ first and an own goal.

Rangers may have carried all before them last season, in Scotland at least, but it is no secret that this season’s team is vulnerable.

Bobby Williamson’s side was packed with players like Derek Riordan and Scott Brown but what they lacked in experience they more than made up for in pace and endeavour.

And it was a Scotland Under-21 combination that shocked the home fans with an opening goal that was in no way undeserved.

McManus was the supplier with a cross from the right flank that found the head of Murray at the back post and the ball was soon nestling in the back of the net.

That came just before the half hour mark but it was not long before Rangers were back on level terms thanks to Mols.

Paolo Vanoli swung in a 34th-minute cross that the Dutchman, having got across his marker, diverted past goalkeeper Daniel Andersson with an expertly raised boot.

But Hibernian, and McManus in particular, were determined not to be out-shone and within 120 seconds had volleyed past Klos after waiting for the ball to drop. It had been an exceptional finish from the edge of the box.

Rangers were wounded once more but regained parity with a slice of luck from a corner when Arteta’s near post delivery was netted by an unfortunate Hibee.

Garry O’Connor had made a jump but there was also a suggestion that Murray had been the man with the fateful final touch.

Hibernian started the second half as they had the first and within six minutes had won a penalty.

Ferguson was mugged in midfield by Grant Brebner, who was only on the field because of a successful appeal against a red card in last week’s Edinburgh derby, and suddenly the visitors had men over.

Murray was one of them and although his momentum seemed to have slowed as he reached the box, a deft touch took the ball past Zura Khizanishvili, who then brought him down.

The Georgian complained bitterly and was no doubt relieved when Klos guessed right to save McManus’ spot kick.

Rangers took the lead for the first time in the 62nd minute when a combination of technique, strength and sheer bloody mindedness saw Mols beat Andersson.

Home debutant Henning Berg had lofted the ball into the box and the Dutchman managed to fire in off the goalkeeper on the turn even though Alen Orman was doing his best to haul him down from behind.

Murray was booked for dissent and the game finally moved beyond his side’s reach when Arteta fired a fourth direct from a free kick in the 67th minute.

As at Aberdeen the previous week, Ferguson had put in a solid but definitely unspectacular 90 minutes.

He produced little that will have prompted Premiership clubs to form an orderly queue outside Ibrox apart from a late defence-splitting through ball that sent substitute Burke scurrying goalwards.

The youngster had all the goal to aim at but blazed wide at full pelt.

Burke did make amends at the end, however, by netting the fifth after Mols had set him up for a simple close range finish with the Hibs defence posted elsewhere.