BBC Sport - Football - Hibernian 0-3 Rangers (original) (raw)

Hibernian 0-3 Rangers

Highlights - Hibernian 0-3 Rangers

Rangers emerged as victors from an ill-tempered Scottish Premier League match with Hibernian at Easter Road.

A scrappy first half of few chances ended with Rangers' Kyle Lafferty and Hibs' Kevin McBride sent off for violent conduct by referee Iain Brines.

Kenny Miller fired Rangers ahead on 64 minutes before adding a second six minutes later following Vladimir Weiss's inventive set-up play.

And the Scotland forward swept home in injury time to complete his hat-trick.

Both sides were looking to maintain winning starts to the season after each claimed three points in last week's opening SPL fixtures.

And the game also marked the opening of Hibs' new East Stand.

Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor was called into action in the ninth minute as Derek Riordan's mishit shot was headed back into the six-yard box by Michael Hart and the stopper palmed the ball clear before Anthony Stokes could profit.

Riordan claimed unsuccessfully for a penalty after his attempted cross rebounded off the elbow of Madjid Bougherra and the referee was similarly unmoved minutes later when Kenny Miller appealed for a handball in the box.

A sliding challenge by Riordan on the onrushing McGregor provoked an angry reaction from the keeper, who then fell to the ground holding his face as the pair argued. But television replays appeared to show that Riordan had made no contact with the keeper's face.

Brines cautioned both and Hibs' Liam Miller followed the pair into the book for dissent.

Rangers had their first attempt at goal five minutes before the break when a long throw-in drew keeper Mark Brown off his line to punch only as far as Steven Davis, whose header was cleared from the goal line by Sol Bamba.

Rangers striker Kenny Miller

Miller scored a hat-trick against his former club

The major flashpoint of the game saw Lafferty committing a reckless tackle on Liam Miller and, as the ball went loose, McBride kicked the ball against the Rangers player, which resulted in an angry exchange between the pair.

Players from both teams stepped in to break up the altercation before Brines produced his red card for a double dismissal.

Riordan's fierce drive was claimed at the second attempt by McGregor in the opening minutes of the second period.

Rangers moved to the other end and Steven Naismith got to the by-line to cross for Miller to head over at the back post.

Danny Galbraith replaced Riordan, who had been unable to recover from an earlier collision with Bougherra, and the substitute beat McGregor to a long ball to cross for Edwin De Graaf, who was waiting to tap home.

But Bougherra nicked the ball away from the Dutchman inside the six-yard box moments before Rangers moved ahead.

Sasa Papac's shot deflected off two players and was beaten out by Brown only for the ball to be collected by James Beattie, who laid the ball back for Kenny Miller to rifle the ball into the roof of the net.

On-loan Manchester City winger Weiss made his Rangers debut as a replacement for Beattie and played a major part in the visitors' second.

The Slovakian collected the ball on the left, played a swift one-two with Davis and put the ball on a plate for Kenny Miller to sidefoot home.

Liam Miller was on the receiving end of another poor challenge, this time by Bougherra, and the Algerian was promptly booked.

Brown made saves to deny Naismith and Maurice Edu as Rangers continued to press.

And, as the game entered its third minute of stoppage time, Kenny Miller received a Davis pass and raced in on goal to find the far corner and complete his first treble since returning to Rangers.

Live text and stats

Sunday, 22 August 2010

Scottish Premier

Home Team Score Away Team Time
Hibernian 0-3 Rangers FT
(HT 0-0)
Miller 64 Miller 70 Miller 90+3

HIBERNIAN

RANGERS

Possession

Attempts on target

Attempts off target

Corners

Fouls

Live text and data provided by The Press Association.