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Rangers 2-0 Hibernian – Play-Off Report

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Rangers are in the driving seat when it comes to the Premiership promotion/relegation play-off game with Motherwell after the first leg win of the semi final play-off against Hibernian at Ibrox on Wednesday.

A goal in either half will see us go to Easter Road with a two-nil win, which is arguably above expectation!

Hibernian started better, time in the sun had agreed with them whereas we were blowing away the cobwebs of a hard fought two-legged play-off win against Queen of the South but a couple of efforts from distance that Craig had didn’t cause too much concern whereas Vuckic always a threat for us on the counter-attack.

The first half looked like it would end nil-nil but that, and the whole complex of the game changed, in the last minute before the interval when Vuckic cleverly got the ball in behind the Hibernian defence to Foster who crossed into Clark (44) who was left to do the rest from six-yards out as he finished past Oxley.

The best chance created, as Hibernian looked for an equaliser, saw Malonga lack composure with him heading an Allan corner over from a mere six-yards. We continued to battle and fight for everything, the determination to see this one out obvious with it known a return to the topflight was inching ever closer.

There was an element of luck to our second goal perhaps, just past the hour, as an effort from Shiels ran kindly to Vuckic who was aware of Miller (63) and the veteran striker, who had laughed off talk of retirement ahead of the game, fired past Hibernian ‘keeper Oxley to make it two.

Defensively we’ve have struggled this season, it might have been a worry when it became apparent we were looking to protect this with the tactical moves made by McCall obvious. Then again it might have been more worrying if these hadn’t been made as would we have managed to hold as firm as we did!

A two-nil win was seen out with us in a very strong position at the halfway stage with Hibernian’s players looking dejected at fulltime but there’s still plenty to play for at Easter Road and the tie isn’t over yet but we do know that the likelihood of progression has grown significantly….

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