Ibrox fans are kept waiting then their favourite son turns up trumps McCoist starts ball rolling for Rangers

It is something their fans had not expected at this stage of a season which has brought Rangers so much disappointment and yet, when the chips are down, somehow Rangers are able to call on reserves of determination and conviction which carry them through.

That is what happened in front of 48,488 fans at Ibrox last night.

After a first half when they had dominated in the early stages, the champions seemed to be faltering, running out of ideas and allowing Hibs to push their way back into the match.

Then, in two minutes of the second half, the game was transformed. In 56 minutes, Jorg Albertz celebrated his new contract with the club by chipping over a perfectly flighted free kick which deceived the Easter Road defenders, but which allowed Ally McCoist to thrust his way into the action and ram a header beyond Bryan Gunn and into the net.

It was a goal which McCoist celebrated as always, a goal which the Ibrox faithful saluted, and a goal which will act as yet another reminder to Scotland manager Craig Brown that McCoist's finishing skills are not dead.

It may also be a reminder to the teams who are looking to take Rangers' crown that the veteran forward, this born-again hero, is not yet ready to give up on glory.

Two minutes after that opener, it was Albertz who was involved once again.

He moved away from two tackles, cut into the Hibs' penalty box just short of the bye line, and then cut the ball back towards the 18-yard line.

Jonas Thern - now looking the class act he was expected to be - met the ball there and sent a fierce drive past Gunn, and suddenly the nervousness which had afflicted Rangers towards the end of the first-half had gone.

Now they were in control. Now they could see that second-top spot and, some of their more confident fans, began to believe that a top spot was there to be taken when they scored a third goal in 75 minutes.

Durie and Rino Gattuso had replace McCoist and Albertz just two minutes earlier. It was Durie, back in the first team for the first time since his head injury at Rugby Park five weeks ago, who scored that one.

Thern began the move with the ball forward to Marco Negri. The Italian then flicked the ball on cleverly to Durie, who volleyed it into the far corner of the net, well out of Gunn's reach.

By now, of course, the game had gone out of Hibs' reach and they were left looking over their shoulders towards the first division.

Yet, when Rangers had relaxed their early grip on the game, there had been a spell when it seemed that the Edinburgh club might yet be able to take something from the match.

Twice within minutes, for instance, Tony Rougier, was brought down, and twice the offending Rangers players, Craig Moore and Gordan Petric were yellow carded.

Nothing, though, came from these forays from the Trinidadian, and in the second half he was a virtual spectator as Rangers stepped up a gear and Hibs could not find a way to cope with their attacks.

It was then hard-pressed Hibs' turn then to accept the bookings, with Paul Tosh cautioned for a foul on Moore - giving away the free kick which brought Rangers their first goal - and then Willie Miller for a wild challenge on Albertz.

Rangers looked more like themselves in the second half when the goals gave them confidence and they now move into their double header with Celtic knowing that they are on level terms in the league, although they have played a game more.

Rangers achieved that last night after more changes were forced on them when Andy Goram dropped out with a viral infection and Sergio Porrini suffered a hamstring injury.

Thirteen minutes from the end Ian Durrant appeared as a replacement for Laudrup and still Rangers went forward.

That almost cost them at the other end when Rougier broke clear.

Niemi saved at his feet and then when Rougier recovered and played the ball across goal, Richard Gough was on the line to clear a shot from Pat McGinlay.

Rangers basically did what they had to do.

They won the game and placed extra pressure on their rivals, Celtic and Hearts.

As for Hibs, their fate will also be decided over the next few weeks and this result may have condemned them to remain in bottom place and look at playing in the first division next season.

It is as stark as that for the men from Edinburgh.

Rangers - Niemi, Cleland, Albertz, Gough, Petric, Moore, Thern, McCoist, Negri, McCall, Laudrup. Substitutes: Durrant, Gattuso, Durie.

Hibernian - Gunn, Miller, Boco, Brebner, Dods, Welsh, Tosh, Rougier, Crawford, Skinner, McGinlay. Substitutes - Renwick, Dow, Elliot.

Referee - M McCurry (Glasgow).

LATEST ODDS

q Rangers' premier division title odds have been cut following last night's success against Hibs.

Leading bookmaking firm William Hill have announced that the Ibrox team have gone from 7-4 to 6-4, while Celtic are 4-6 favourites, with Hearts on 7-1.