UNDERSTATED, but undeniable. That clenched right fist raised high by Mark Warburton at the final whistle of a compelling encounter surely reflected all manner of internal emotion ranging from exultation to relief in the wake of a badly-needed victory.
That he waited at the mouth of the tunnel to congratulate every one of his players on their way off the field from the 4-2 triumph that ended a 17-game unbeaten run by Hibernian was, perhaps, more telling and more instructive.
This was a big afternoon for the Rangers manager. His men got him out of a hole with a fine display containing both determination and invention. They were asked some real, searching questions by their closest rivals in the Ladbrokes Championship and came through with flying colours in the end.
First and foremost, both teams must be given credit for the way they passed the ball throughout – their players being encouraged to take possession under pressure and play their way out of trouble – with the first half, in particular, quite breathtaking.
When Jason Cummings handed Hibernian the lead on 23 minutes, Rangers could have buckled. Many, no doubt, expected them to. On the contrary, they got themselves in front before the interval through two goals from the former Hearts midfielder, Jason Holt, and went on to dominate proceedings afterwards.
Nicky Clark came off the substitutes’ bench to make it 3-1 and not even the controversial sending-off of Andy Halliday with 20 minutes to play could halt them in their tracks. Even though Dominique Malonga did get a goal back for the visitors with three minutes remaining, Martyn Waghorn would give the scoreline a more accurate flavour.
At the end, Alan Stubbs, the Hibernian manager, stood alone on the edge of the technical area, the target of one of several songs from the home support that contained words on the ‘banned list’ (remember that?). So much for his royal blue training shoes being some kind of peace offering in the wake of his verbal jousting in the build-up.
Hibs will be back, though. They have too much to offer. Holding onto Cummings during the January window, mind you, will be key to their title aspirations. His 23rd minute goal was a masterclass in finishing.
When a 22-yard shot from Liam Henderson was deflected just inside the area, it fell to Cummings all on his lonesome. That he should find himself unmarked was bad enough. That Rob Kiernan should be playing him onside even worse.
A lack of awareness is not something that can be levelled at Cummings on yesterday’s evidence, though. His finish, taking a touch before beating Wes Foderingham with the most impudent little dink, was nothing short of exquisite.
You could feel the temperature rise inside an already-thunderous Ibrox, questions of Warburton and his side becoming all the more pointed. In truth, answers were not long in arriving, but the foundation of Holt’s equalising goal in the 34th minute lay in a cosy error from the Hibernian midfielder, Fraser Fyvie.
Inside his own half, he had two men on the overlap to his left, but his pass lacked direction and conviction and was intercepted by James Tavernier. He fed it to Waghorn, who rolled it into the centre for the onrushing Holt and his first-time effort, clinical and true, was always going to beat Oxley low to his left.
Two minutes from the interval, Holt did it again. This time, mind you, the finish was perhaps a little less decisive. Having received a low pass from the left from Barrie McKay and released another early shot with his right, he benefited from a wicked deflection off Paul Hanlon inside the area that left Oxley wrongfooted and helpless.
In comparison, the goal that killed the game on 65 minutes was really rather beautiful. Dean Shiels and Clark had just come on for Nicky Law and Kenny Miller and linked up to wonderful effect after Liam Fontaine, who replaced his captain David Gray at the interval, had won possession and then lost it on the edge of his own penalty box.
Shiels controlled the ball on the edge of the area and spotted Clark moving into space. The chip he delivered to find him was weighted to perfection and the former Queen of the South forward took care of the rest by cushioning the ball past the advancing keeper.
Rangers would most probably have cruised to victory had Halliday not been red carded by referee, Bobby Madden. He reacted badly to a fairly innocuous foul from Fyvie by kicking out and then committing a shouldercharge. Although the Hibernian midfielder seemed to have no good reason to hold his face after the confrontation, it is possible to understand why Madden took the decision he did.
Hibs, in any case, had run of steam by that point. Even when Malonga, on for James Keatings, took advantage of some poor goalkeeping by Foderingham to force home a Fyvie cross from close-range, they never really looked like levelling.
With the game entering the last minute, Waghorn took possession on the left, surged into the area and put the ball through Oxley’s legs after turning Fyvie inside-out. An emphatic way to end what turned out to be an emphatic victory.
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