Rangers revert to type as Hamza Igamane watches gutsy Hibs wipe out tremendous Treble – 3 talking points
Rangers were brought crashing back down to earth after their Old Firm derby high as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Hibs in an enthralling Easter Road encounter.
Hamza Igamane fired a hat-trick - and should have had a fourth to win it at the death - but it wasn’t enough to get the win. Martin Boyle scored a couple for Hibs and Rocky Bushiri grabbed a point with a dramatic late header. Rangers were on a high after their derby victory at Ibrox and got off to a flyer here as they broke the deadlock with less than five minutes on the clock against the hosts who looked shaky despite being in fine form themselves going into this one.
Rocky Bushiri was hesitant in defending a long upfield ball and Igamane caused him problems. The ball was worked out wide left to Nedim Bajrami who fed Ianis Hagi and the Old Firm hero’s ball into the middle was brilliantly struck home by Igamane. Bajrami then had a shot deflected wide with the home side - without captain Joe Newell - looking rattled before the Albanian then forced Jordan Smith into a fine save when one one one.
But it was Bajrami who was the creator for the second as he stood up a brilliant cross for Igamane to bullet home a header for his second.
Hibs looked down and out at that stage but just after the half hour mark they hauled themselves back into it when Bushiri did well to keep alive a free kick into the box and when it fell to Boyle he did brilliantly to lash the ball beyond Liam Kelly.
The momentum shifted until Rangers regrouped at the break and they regained their composure and Igamane was denied his hat-trick by a fine save from Smith but it was Hibs who drew level on the hour when Boyle grabbed his second from the spot after Hagi’s clumsy challenge on Josh Campbell saw John Beaton point to the spot.
Hibs’ tails were up and Kelly had to deny Dwight Gayle from point blank range before Lewis Miller’s header came back off the base of the upright and into the arms of the Rangers keeper - before Igamane completed his treble to regain the lead.
Cerny and Mohamed Diomande played a neat one-two in the box before the Czech start pulled the ball back for Igamane and he drilled a brilliant first time effort low into the bottom corner. That looked to have sealed it for Gers but incredibly there was time for more late drama and Bushiri headed home from Nicky Cadden’s corner with Kelly suspect as he came for the ball. Igamane had a glorious chance to win it when clean through at the death but hit his shot off the outside of the post. And the result means the Ibrox side are now 13 points behind Celtic after they dealt with St Mirren later in the day.
Here's three talking points from Easter Road.
Jekyll & Hyde Gers fail to kick on
It was a familiar old story for Rangers as they struggled yet again on the road and failed to follow up their impressive Old Firm derby win. That inconsistency has cost them big time this season with some Euro highs plus that win over Celtic showing what they can do. But it’s four wins in their last 15 Scottish Premiership games on the road and they need to sort out their travel sickness. They started like a train but need to find a 90-minute performance.
He’s the Mane
Philippe Clement took his time before unleashing Hamza Igamane on the Rangers first team and with fans frustrated at being made to wait for the Moroccan, the Belgian boss defended his strategy and said that the club had bought him now as they wouldn’t have been able to afford him in 12 months time.
And the Ibrox gaffer might well have a point as the frontman cost just £1.7million from FAR Rabat and is showing great potential with nine goals now for the season. It’s early days but it looks like Rangers will be able to make a big profit on him - something they haven’t done enough of.
Hibs hoodoo continues despite draw
The Hibees haven’t beaten Rangers at home in a top flight match since Tony Mowbray was in charge and Chris Killen scored a couple of goals in a victory in 2006, although they did beat them in the Championship nine years ago, and that run continued despite their brave effort. But it’s still a positive for Hibs with just one defeat in nine for David Gray which earned him the Manager of the Month award and they continue to be on the up.
