GUTTER DISGRACE
Kamberi’s leveller all but ends Gers’ title challenge but draw is an irrelevance as our game is shamed again by another yob fan
THE result was almost an irrelevance as Scottish football was dragged from the gutter into the sewer.
A game Rangers should have won by the length of Leith Walk resulted in the third draw between the sides this term and effectively ended the Ibrox title challenge. On the field Hibs showed grit to extend their unbeaten league run under Paul Heckingbottom to four matches as birthday boy Florian Kamberi snatched a late leveller. Off the pitch their fans disgraced themselves again as a supporter was allowed to leap the advertising boards on the half-time whistle and attack Rangers skipper James Tavernier as he retrieved the ball from the side of the park. The shameful incident took place no more than 15 metres from the spot where Celtic winger Scott Sinclair narrowly missed being hit by a Buckfast bottle only six days ago.
The supporter came from the same spot as the still-to-be identified bottle thrower, grabbed at Tavernier and kicked the ball away before appearing to land a slap on his face.
It was a step too far, a disgusting episode in a domestic game still reeling from a depressing bout of incidents involving coins, flares, sectarianism and other unacceptable chanting. Not even Hibs chairman Rod Petrie could get away with calling this one overexuberance and quite why security should have been so lacking in that area of the pitch must surely now be subject to an SPFL probe.
Police and stewards also have a lot to answer for. In the second half only four cops were visible in that area while around 20 officers and security stood against the partition separating rival supporters with their gazes fixed on the pitch.
At half-time stewards were also seen picking up broken seats thrown from the Rangers end on to the pitch.
Mercifully the game ended without incident off the park as it
all became a little ragged on it, Darren McGregor shown a second yellow card in injury time for a cynical chop of Jermain Defoe.
Andy Halliday also hit the bar with a free-kick – the last action of the match – but Rangers only have themselves to blame for not adding to Daniel Candeias’ first-half finish.
It’s the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic that will now determine the success of this season for Steven Gerrard – if they can get past Aberdeen on Tuesday.
Alfredo Morelos was rewarded for his new deal with a meaty forearm in the chops from McGregor just six minutes in, earning the ex-Ibrox defender his first yellow.
It was as close as Hibs got to Gers in the early stages with Ryan Kent lively down the left. Defender Paul Hanlon panicked under pressure from Morelos and the Colombian nipped the ball off his toes only for Ofir Marciano to block a shot from the edge of the box.
Rangers were as peerless as they had been at Easter Road in December but that match finished goalless. As the half progressed the only fear from travelling fans was a repeat of their failure to make chances count.
Kent was doing his best to ease concerns and he jinked and weaved in the box again, finding space to fire towards the bottom corner before it was pushed away by Marciano.
If Rangers were guilty of anything it was an accusation of overplaying in the box. That was typified when Glen Kamara delayed his shot, allowing Stevie Mallan to scramble cover before Hanlon dived in front of Scott Arfield’s follow-up. But Rangers grabbed the lead their superiority deserved two minutes before the break. The only surprise was it came on the counter.
Confusion reigned when ref Steven McLean appeared to overrule an offside decision as Hibs attacked on the right. As Rangers won back possession Kamara swept up the field and played it wide to Candeias.
His initial effort was blocked by Hanlon but the winger switched to his left foot and curled a delightful shot across Marciano and into the top corner.
The half-time whistle should have brought an end to the drama but that was before that idiot fan ran on and confronted Tavernier.
Allan McGregor had been a virtual spectator but reminded Rangers of his worth in 57 minutes, blocking Daryl Horgan before pushing Marc McNulty’s follow-up to safety. Mark Milligan blocked from Morelos on the line while at the other McGregor was alive again to scramble a wind-assisted shot by Mallan around his post.
It was a warning Rangers failed to heed as Hibs struck in 76 minutes after a fateful loss of concentration.
Mallan played in McNulty who was inches onside and his low cross to the back post was met by Kamberi standing in glorious isolation.
McNulty may even have won it again, forcing another fine stop by McGregor before the keeper also denied Kamberi then Mallan’s follow-up was deflected over.
It all got frantic near the end as McGregor was sent off for that foul on sub Defoe before Halliday was denied a winner by the width of the bar with a set-piece from 25 yards.