RANGERS got the rewards for their endeavours at Ibrox. If the same is said come May, then afternoons such as this will have proven crucial to their cause.

A first half strike from Ianis Hagi was all that was required to see off Hibernian at Ibrox. It wasn’t always pretty, but the ends justified the means for Steven Gerrard’s side.

Ahead at the break and seemingly in control of the game, Rangers conspired to make life more difficult for themselves than it needed to be. Credit has to go to Jack Ross and his players for that, but Hibernian just weren’t good enough when it mattered most.

There will be more flowing performances from Rangers this term, but there is a different kind of satisfaction to be taken from wins like this. The unbeaten run continues at Ibrox and the momentum continues in the Premiership.

Rangers have not dropped a league point since the draw at Easter Road in September and this was a day where they just had to win. In the end, they did just that.

It may have taken Rangers until after the half hour mark to break the deadlock, but there was a feeling that the goal had been coming. The pressure hadn’t been incessant from Gerrard’s side, but it was they who had looked the most threatening and most likely to score.

The best chance from Hibernian had come inside the opening two minutes. A Josh Doig cross from the left found Martin Boyle at the back post but a passage of play that has hurt Rangers several times recently didn’t prove costly here as Boyle failed to convert.

With the visitors set up to break quickly and hit Rangers on the counter-attack, it was no surprise that Gerrard’s side had most of the ball, or the majority of the chances.

A James Tavernier free-kick was wasted, while Leon Balogun’s effort was blocked in the area as their early opportunities came to little. They need not be downbeat, though, as they stuck to the task and eventually got their rewards.

Keeper Dillon Barnes - brought into the side to replace the absent Ofir Marciano - made a smart stop to deny Connor Goldson as he got up well to get his head to a Tavernier corner. Barnes was equal to his effort at the near post and the keeper wasn’t troubled when Hagi fired wide of target from the edge of the area.

Within seconds, the Romanian had found the net and given Rangers the lead that they merited on the balance of play. In horrible conditions as the wind and rain swirled around Ibrox, they were still determined to play their game, with the midfield three of Steven Davis, Glen Kamara and Joe Aribo showing real control and composure.

The build-up was incisive from Rangers as Aribo and Kamara combined before the Finn found the mercurial Roofe. He still had plenty to do under pressure, but he had the vision and skill to pick out a pass from the left side of the area.

Hagi timed his run well to come in off the opposite flank and he would nip in ahead of Paul Hanlon before converting from six yards. His afternoon had been fairly quiet until that stage, but this moment was a reminder of what he can bring to the side as Rangers took a deserved lead.

It was an advantage they would still retain at the interval as they moved to within 45 minutes of victory. Boyle had fired low across goal and come close to meeting another cross from Doig, but Hibernian hadn’t done enough to really concern Rangers as Gerrard’s side largely dominated possession and looked assured.

The Gers couldn’t afford to become complacent, however, and this Hibernian side still had more than enough quality to cause them problems if they could raise their levels. Indeed, it was they who would start the second half brighter.

Chances were still proving hard to come by but there was more reason for Ross to be encouraged as Hibernian competed well and had more tempo about their game.

The second goal should have come through Ryan Kent but a neat move that was started by Tavernier and included Aribo and Roofe wasn’t finished off as the winger saw his strike blocked before Barnes was called upon.

When he was required, the keeper was in the right place at the right time to deny Balogun as the defender couldn’t find the net when a Tavernier corner dropped to him just a couple of yards out.

Time was starting to become an enemy for Hibernian as they tried to take advantage of an, at times, sluggish Rangers. Goldson made an excellent tackle to frustrate Boyle, while Kevin Nisbet pulled an effort straight across goal from the back post.

Gerrard looked to improve Rangers’ fortunes with the arrival of Scott Arfield but the midfielder was forced off just minutes after coming on following a period of treatment. Bongani Zungu took over, while Alfredo Morelos replaced Roofe.

It was Hibernian who were finishing strongly, however, and McGregor had to be at his best to get down to his left to divert a Melker Hallberg strike away.

The final chance would fall to Morelos but the Colombian couldn’t convert with only the keeper to beat. Unfortunately, it was a miss that is symptomatic of his form in front of goal these days.

It wouldn’t prove costly, however. This wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing win of the campaign, but it was another important one for Rangers.