Hibees substitute Ivan Sproule (sonic) scored an incredible hat-trick (72, 86, 90 min) in the last half hour to inflict one of Rangers' heaviest home defeats for years and he's the first to do so in away colours at ibrox for nine years, since magic Johnston did it for our city rivals herts infact back in Jan 1986.
This was Hibs first win at ibrox in ten years and how they did it in style, the margin of victory is also Hibs biggest at ibrox since 1902 and our biggest in the league since 1951!!, though we did get a 3-0 win at Easter Road in the cup back in the seventies. Hibs soaked up the expected pressure from Rangers, however, the longer the game progressed and with rangers continuing to squander chances, the more Hibs's hopes rose.
Although Sproule was the goal hero, this was a magnificent team effort by Hibs. Rangers will perhaps say they were jaded from their midweek European efforts, but it was a lack-lustre display and Tony Mowbray got his tactics spot on for the day and what an inspired substitution and the 3-0 scoreline will only say just that in the record books Rangers 0 Hibernian 3.
It was also rangers biggest home defeat in four years.
The home team should have taken the lead early on when a quick free-kick by Thomas Buffel released Nacho Novo. The winger's cut-back was missed by Dado Prso, but Steven Thompsons whose effort was saved by goalkeeper Zibby Malkowski.
Novo came close when he cut in from the right but curled his effort narrowly wide.
Novo, who was Rangers' main threat in the first half, skipped past David Murphy again, and when his cross was cleared to Alex Rae his drive was deflected to Prso who managed to shoot straight at the keeper from six yards.
Zibby also kept his goals intact with a cracking save in the 42st minute to deny Barry Ferguson who got his shot in from a Ricksen Corner.
Half time 0-0
At the start of the second half Thompson somehow failed to get a touch to Novo's cross from only five yards out before Bufell slashed his shot wide.
And on the hour Zibby kept out Novo after he was fed with a lay off from Prso.
Hibs took the lead against the run of play when Sproule cleverly lobbed the ball over Ronald Waterreus after a long clearance from David Murphy found super sub Ivan Sproule who outpaced Pierre Fanfan to score the opening goal to the delight of the travelling fans in the corner.
It was no surprise when Thompson was taken off for Rangers. Hibs then went on to seal victory with two late goals. Brown went on an 80 yard run and left Peter Lovenkrands in his wake before Sproule clinically finished low into the corner of the net.
The super substitute wasn't finished there as he then scored his and Hibs third when he out-paced Ricksen before rounding the keeper and sliding the ball into the empty net, though by this time there were not many home fans still in the stadium to witness the final nail in the rangers coffin as they had all decided to get an earlier bus home for some reason but it didn't deter the Ecstatic travelling Hibs support who were in raptures as they had been for the final 10 minutes of the game.
Game set and Match to the Hibees.