PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM was left to rue Hibernian’s defensive mistakes as they slumped to a comprehensive 6-1 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox.

Jermain Defoe netted twice in the opening stages to put Steven Gerrard’s side well in control but Hibs had hope at the break after Scott Allan split the Gers defence with a terrific pass and Daryl Horgan finished to make it 2-1 and reduce their arrears.

A red card for Sean Mackie shortly after the interval put the visitors on the back foot and Rangers would go on to run out comfortable winners.

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Defoe completed his hat-trick before Alfredo Morelos netted twice and Sheyi Ojo rounded off the scoring in the final minutes as Hibs were left to lick their wounds.

Heckingbottom said: "Yeah and it got tougher as the minutes went on.

"You can break it into three parts for me. The first 35 minutes we were second best so that's what set the tone for the game.

"We got back into it with our goal and that allowed us to make some passes and make some changes at half-time.

"We were comfortable then and thinking about different things.

"But then the sending off totally changes the game.

"That's not to say we deserved anything out of the game, do you get what I mean?

"But the game was in three bits. We started on the back foot where we were poor and Rangers were good which made it difficult for us.

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"We got through that. A good bit of quality - our first bit of quality - created the goal and gave us a chance.

"I was pleased with the start of the second half but the sending off makes it tough.

"We made bad decisions. It's all a different area of the game having 10 men but we made bad decisions and didn't retain the ball well enough and that's why we got punished."