Hibs 0 - 3 Rangers: Miller returns to punish Hibs as Rangers go top of SPL

Former Hibs star Kenny Miller came back to haunt his old club at Easter Road this afternoon, the Scotland striker claiming two first half goals to send Rangers soaring back to the top of the SPL table.

His clinical finishing came as hammer blows to the Edinburgh club who saw a header from Sol Bamba cleared off the Rangers goal-line and then watched in disbelief as Ian Murray's instinctive shot crashed back off the woodwork with Ibrox goalkeeper Neil Alexander beaten.

And any hopes Hibs may have had of making a remarkable comeback were dashed in the 73rd minute when Madjid Bougherra stole in to put Walter Smith's outfit three up and consiging the Easter Road side to their heaviest defeat of the season.

Hibs made a nervous start, unforced errors putting Mixu Paatelainen's side under pressure from the opening minute as Yves Ma-Kalambay spilled a low cross from Miller, Ian Murray coming to his rescue with a superb last-ditch tackle on Charlie Adam.

A poor pass from the Hibs goalkeeper was picked off in midfield but thankfully Miller was ruled offside before Chris Hogg got in on the act, needlessly surrendering possession in a dangerous area only for Miller to screw his shot wide.

But having survived those scares Hibs almost took the lead in the 14th minute as Derek Riordan caught Sasa Papac napping as he rolled the ball through the Rangers' defenders legs, Dean Shiels pouncing on it and thundering in a powerful shot which Neil Alexander brilliantly pushed aside.

Hibs again thought they'd got their noses in front on the half-hour mark as Sol Bamba rose to meet Riordan's corner only for former Easter Road star Kevin Thomson to nod the ball clear from his own line.

And Rangers made the most of that escape, romping to the other end of the pitch where Lewis Stevenson opted to leave Kirk Broadfoot's low cross to run through for Ma-Kalambay. But the Hibs youngster failed to spot Miller speeding in and he stooped to get the merest of touches with his head on the ball to send it into the corner of the net.

It was as setback for Hibs but only the woodwork prevented them from equalising in the 37th minute as Riordan fired the ball across goal for Murray to throw out his left foot – his shot leaving Alexander helpless but, to his horror, it crashed back off the left-hand post, the goalkeeper just managing to get his fingertips on the ball as it came back out to prevent Shiels tapping the rebound home.

Again Rangers exploited that let-off, Steve Davis catching the home side napping five minutes from the interval as he took a quick throw-in which Pedro Mendes fed on to Broadfoot who supplied the pass for Miller to get his second goal of the game as he calmly guided the ball beyond Ma-Kalambay and into the far side of the net.

Hibs luck was out again nine minutes after the restart, Joe Keenan firing in a left-foot shot after Steven Fletcher's header was blocked, but Alexander was once more up to the task, throwing himself to his left to push the ball round the post.

Referee Callum Murray left the home support incensed a minute later when Bougherra appeared to use an arm to prevent a through ball reaching Fletcher, the official and his assistants all failing to react as the Hibs fans desired.

Jean Claude Darcheville should have put the game beyond Hibs in the 58th minute when Miller picked off a poor clearance from Hogg before picking out his team-mate who fired wide.

Adam tried to catch Hibs out again with a near post corner which threatened to creep into the net, but Ma-Kalambay was alert to the danger, diving to touch it round for another corner which came to nothing.

But Bougherra ensured the match was over as a contest as he put Rangers three-up in the 73rd minute, the Algerian defender stealing in to get on the end of Thomson's free-kick to leave Ma-Kalambay helpless as the home fans began heading for the exits.

Hibs: Ma-Kalambay, Van Zanten, Hogg, Jones, Murray, Bamba, Keenan (Pinau 58), Stevenson, Shiels (Yantorno 73), Fletcher, Riordan (Rankin 86). Subs not used: McNeil, Thicot, Hanlon, Chisholm.

Rangers: Alexander, Broadfoot, Bougherra, Weir, Papac, Adam (Lafferty 86), Davis, Mendes, Thomson, Darcheville (Novo 71), Miller. Subs not used: McGregor, Dailly, Boyd, Niguez, McMillan.

Referee: Callum Murray.