“If you don’t take your chances you don’t win games,” may be one of the oldest clichés in football, but, as was proved once again last night, it remains as true now as the day it was first uttered.
It is not an exaggeration to say that Hibernian battered Rangers at times in the latest meeting between these old sparring partners in Leith.
But Neil Lennon’s side still walked off the park at the end of 90 frenetic minutes with nothing to show for their efforts having been found wanting in the department that matters the most – putting the ball in the back of the net.
After edging in front through a Lewis Stevenson strike early on in the game they squandered opportunity after opportunity in the final third of the park.
That was not an accusation which could be levelled at Graeme Murty’s team. They spent long spells on the back foot and hardly created a thing going forward. But they netted twice in the space of three minutes just before half-time. Ultimately, that proved enough to win the match.
The Ibrox club extended their advantage over their opponents in the Ladbrokes Premiership table to six points and stayed ahead of Aberdeen in second spot on goal difference as a result of the unlikely triumph.
It was probably not deserved on the balance of play, but the manner of the victory over promoted rivals who had come out on top in a bad-tempered and controversial encounter in Govan back in August simply made it all the sweeter for their followers.
A large banner showing Hibs captain David Gray celebrating his late winning goal in the 2016 Scottish Cup final over Rangers was unfurled in the Famous Five Stand just before kick-off.
The home supporters were soon celebrating another goal. Hibs took the lead with a well-worked strike in just the ninth minute. Stevenson threaded a pass to Simon Murray in the Rangers box and he laid the ball back to his team mate whose shot deflected off the foot of Bruno Alves and beyond Wes Foderingham.
The evening quickly got worse for the visitors. Kenny Miller went to ground on the touchline in front of the main stand after appearing to pull his hamstring. He was stretched off with his head in his hands and replaced by Daniel Candeias.
Hibs won the all-important midfield battle after that. Ross McCrorie, sitting in the holding role just in front of the back four once again, Candeias, Jason Holt, Jamie Barjonas, Josh Windass struggled to impose themselves on proceedings.
They were unable to cope with the physical presence of John McGinn in the centre of the park in particular. McCrorie resorted to holding him back with both arms after coming off second best in a tussle for the ball in the 24th minute. He was yellow carded for the blatant foul.
Hibs could have built on their lead with two attempts on goal in quick succession three minutes later. Rangers had their goalkeeper Wes Foderingham to thank for ensuring the scoreline remained the same. He palmed a shot from Anthony Stokes away and then denied Martin Boyle with his legs after the winger had been teed up by Shaw.
But the capital club had to make their sustained pressure they subjected their opponents count by adding to their tally and they failed to do so. They could have no complaints when their opponents drew level and then forged ahead.
Windass rifled in the equaliser from the edge of the Hibs penalty box in the 43rd minute after being supplied by Holt and then Alfredo Morelos turned Hanlon and fired into the inviting gap which Ofir Marciano had created for him at his near post by inexplicably moving away from the ball from an acute angle.
The Hibs players must have wondered how they were behind as they made their way to the dressing room. But they set about getting back into the match with determination when the second half got underway. Murray should have restored parity in the 50th minute when Boyle squared to him from the right wing but the striker failed to connect
The second half was one of missed chances. Brandon Barker, who came on for Shaw, hit the post twice and Morelos failed to nod a James Tavernier delivery into an inviting open net. Match official Kevin Clancy booked Efe Ambrose, Barjonas, Holt and Winddass for fouls as well as Foderingham for time wasting and had a quiet word in the ear of Lennon for his reaction to one of his decisions much to the delight of the away fans.
David Bates came on for Barjonas in the 72nd minute and Hibs were denied a strong claim for a penalty when he appeared to handle an Ambrose cross. But Clancy was unimpressed.
Hibernian: Marciano, Hanlon, McGinn, McGeouch, Murray (Whittaker, 87), Stevenson, Boyle, McGregor, Ambrose, Stokes, Shaw (Barker, 50).
Substitutes not used: Dabrowski, Bartley, Slivka, Murray, Porteous.
Rangers: Foderingham, Tavernier, John, Wilson, Miller (Candeias, 14), Windass, Morelos (Herrera, 84), Alves, Holt, Barjonas (Bates, 72), McCrorie.
Substitutes not used: Kelly, Hodson, Kranjcar, Pena.
Referee: Kevin Clancy.
Attendance: 20,087.
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