Between transfer windows and tax deadlines, you would expect a sense of urgency to infuse the atmosphere around Ibrox at the moment.

And maybe it is there somewhere behind the scenes, but it was not particularly obvious for the first 60 minutes of Rangers' performance yesterday. As comfortable as the victory might seem in black and white, this was a strangely flat display by Rangers, who only seemed to rouse from their slumbers once they had established a two-goal cushion.

Still, even if the score outstripped the effort that went into it, the result served the purpose of narrowing Celtic's lead at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League table to a single point. And if the collective performance left something to be desired, Rangers were good in some significant parts, specifically their finishing. They toiled dreadfully to carve out chances early on, but were wonderfully sharp with the few they did create.

You felt a little for Hibs at the finish, for they had been the equal of Rangers for a good portion of the game. However, the desire went out of their display as the match slipped away from them, and they suffered a grievous blow when they lost James McPake, the central defender who has just arrived on loan from Coventry, who was sent off after collecting his second yellow card in the 70th minute.

McPake had picked up his first as early as the sixth minute for a silly tug at Sone Aluko's shirt. The red came when he took the legs out from under Maurice Edu. If McPake, who also wore the captain's armband, has been brought in to add some composure to the notoriously flaky Hibs defence then he might start by developing some of that trait in himself.

Given the likely loss of Nikica Jelavic, there had to be satisfaction for Ally McCoist in seeing his players knock in four goals, even if other aspects of their performance were lacklustre. "There's life beyond us all," said McCoist. "Bigger players have left this club and the club goes on. If Nikica goes he will be a big loss, but we scored some good goals today."

Responding to suggestions that West Ham, whose offer for Jelavic was rejected last week, had signed Carlos Tevez, McCoist did not seem confident that he might keep the player. He said: "I understand the economics of the club."

The most striking aspect of the first half had been Rangers' inability to punch any meaningful holes in a Hibs defence that has a decidedly porous look this season. Some credit should probably be taken by McPake for marshalling the Edinburgh side's back four, but Rangers seemed intent on giving the former Morton and Livingston player a gentle reintroduction to Scottish football. Lee Wallace scuttled down the flanks effectively enough, but their final passes lacked menace. More critically, they frequently lacked a recipient in a blue shirt as well. Indeed, Hibs seemed far better at creating chances, and either Eoin Doyle or Ivan Sproule could easily have been the first to get on the scoresheet. However, having fluffed a couple of early chances, they then endured the ignominy of watching Steven Davis claim it for Rangers instead, the midfielder producing a calm finish in the 26th minute when he was put into space by Aluko and placed the ball firmly past Mark Brown's outstretched left hand.

At half-time, Rangers could reflect with satisfaction only on their efficiency, for Davis's goal had come from their one clear chance. Edu had shot just wide from the edge of the box soon afterwards, but the yellow card Dorin Goian collected for dissent was as good a measure of their frustration as anything else.

It would be pushing it, too, to say that Rangers were quick into their stride after the break, for they were rattled early on by a couple of threatening runs by Sproule. Little by little, though, they settled to their tasks, although there was a strong farcical element to the 55th minute goal by David Healy that put them two ahead.

It came when Kyle Bartley lofted a speculative ball into the Hibs half. Healy chased, but Sean O'Hanlon looked better placed to clear. However, the bounce bamboozled him, Brown raced from his box to head the ball away, but it simply fell to Healy. The striker settled himself then threaded the ball between Brown and McPake for the goal. Aluko collected Rangers' third in the 70th minute, flighting the ball into the top right-hand corner of the net with the free kick that followed McPake's departure. Then, in injury-time, Davis grabbed the fourth, taking a long ball from Carlos Bocanegra then turning brilliantly to place it past Brown.

Lustre is lacking