Hibee History: Paul Kane’s goal defeats Rangers

Paul Kane, left, scored the winner for Hibs

Throughout the first half the tackling stopped just short of dangerous. Davie Cooper of Rangers and Mickey Weir of Hibs were the main targets and both did well to survive into the second half when the sheer pace of the game began to tell and weariness took its toll on some of the assaults being carried out by the defenders.

It’s as well we didn’t lose either player because Cooper and Weir provided the best moments with the Rangers and Scotland player producing turns and darts and passes of wonderful skill and vision, while Weir, having come through the physical ordeal, produced some thrilling runs and touches.

He is surely a key factor in Hibs’ future planning.

Davie Cooper showed class amid the heavy tackling

The only real significance the game had was that the winners would take something positive forward with them to nest season at the end of a term which has been dismal for Rangers and desperate for Hibs.

The last crumb of comfort fell to the Easter Road team and rightly so, for they were the better side over the piece.

With Gordon Rae commanding in the middle of their defence, they coped comfortably with the Rangers attack.

It was difficult to recognise this performance with the one against St Mirren, when every move by the Paisley side seemed to have a goal built into it.

Ian Munro and Alan Sneddon provided drive from the full-back positions, Paul Kane worked intelligently in support of Weir and Ralph Callachan, and the pace and control of Joe McBride brought a tireless response from the strikers, Willie Irvine and Gordon Durie, whose sheer strength and stamina never ceases to amaze.

For John Blackley, the Hibs manager, there is some light and he has a close season to make the most of it. Against that, it should not be forgotten the Saturday’s result was achieved against one of the most uncertain looking Rangers teams of recent years.

The defence, for long the cornerstone of Ibrox policy, looked troubled from the start and many of the troubles were self-inflicted.

Rangers’ plight was summed up in the 38th minute when Craig Paterson, plagued by injury and only just returned from yet another lay-off, was wrong footed by a cross from the line by Durie and used a hand to deflect the ball. Kane stroked the penalty sweetly past Nicky Walker.

The second period produced some open and exciting football, and Rangers, with Cooper moving up a gear and Ted McMinn called in to the attack, rallied and were only denied an equaliser by Rae and an alert Alan Rough.

The half also produced some crowd trouble when rival fans managed to invade the segregated section of the main terracing. Fortunately, it came to nothing, but it was ugly and pathetic for all that.

Hibs: A Rough, A Sneddon, I Munro, P Kane, G Rae, A Brazil, R Callachan, G Durie, W Irvine, M Weir, J McBride.

Attendance: 7149.

Hibee History: Paul Kane’s goal defeats Rangers – then rival fans clash