Hibs rue horror injury and red cards in Rangers Cup loss - ratings from dramatic night

Hibernian’s Scottish Cup campaign came to a crashing halt on a night of raised tempers and all the enmity that usually accompanies the visit of Rangers, as the home side had TWO players red carded in the space of three minutes, lost Martin Boyle to a serious looking injury – and saw all the momentum built by a second half comeback dissipate into the cold air above Easter Road.

With Jordan Obita already off the pitch after picking up a second booking with 68 minutes on the clock, Nathan Moriah-Welsh was shown a straight red – moments later - for a challenge on Rangers goal scorer John Lundstram, who had put his team ahead midway through the first half, the midfielder barging the ball over the line after David Marshall had saved James Tavernier’s penalty. The loss of both players came just as Hibs were looking the more likely to score. But, reduced to nine men and chasing the game, they were put out of their misery when Fabio Silva scored a second for the visitors with eight minutes remaining.

Nick Montgomery’s men had played well enough, up until their reduction in number. Indeed, they might have gone one up after a quarter of an hour, Rangers goalie Jack Butland producing a horrific bit of footwork mess that ended with Myziane Maolida hitting the post via a slide tackle.

Rangers had their chances, too, of course, Cyriel Desser really should have made it 1-0 after robbing a dawdling Jordan Obita with 19 minutes gone, Marshall sparing his full-back with a fine one-on-one save. Sixty seconds later, Obita was caught out again.

The left back was on the wrong side of Dujon Sterling – not the first or last time that would happen on the night – and, following the inevitable tangle of legs, ref Steven McLean had no option but to award a penalty. Marshall did well to stop Tavernier’s spot kick but, in the rush of bodies that followed, Lundstram got the telling contact to open the scoring.

The loss of Boyle late in the first half, the Socceroos winger stretchered off in very concerning scenes after going up for a high ball with John Souttar, was obviously going to have an effect on Hibs. Psychologically, as much as anything, as the men in green-and-white watched their team-mate being attended by medical staff for a good five minutes before they ferried him straight to hospital.

Hibs rallied at the start of the second half, winning a succession of corners that might have led to an equaliser, with a little more direction on a couple of headers. And Emi Marcondes came close to scoring with a peach of a free-kick, Butland at full stretch to claw his effort away from the top corner just before the hour mark.

With Monty’s men trying to keep the tempo high and a tiring Rangers, clearly feeling the effects of their Europa League efforts, looking to slow the game down, tempers began to flare, with every challenge a flashpoint for another argument between the coaches. The rising tension wasn’t lowered any when Obita, already booked for a professional foul on Tom Lawrence, was shown a second yellow after substitute Rabbi Matondo went down clutching his face right in front of the Hibs technical area.

When Moriah-Welsh went into his challenge on Lundstram moments later, nine-man Hibs had no option but to go for broke, leaving themselves exposed at the back as they chased an equaliser. The late second for Rangers was as formality. The final blow on a painful night.