KENT’S JUST PERFECT
Winger’s wonder strike helps see off Hibs as flawless Premiership form at Ibrox continues
SEVENTEEN home games played in the Scottish Premiership. Seventeen won. Just for good measure, it was a perfect strike that ultimately ensured the continuation of Rangers’ flawless Ibrox record.
Ryan Kent can produce those moments. Drifting along the edge of the penalty from right to left, he was given too much space to mentally filter his options.
First, he stepped away from Joe Newell. Then Alex Gogic was caught on his heels. Kent drew back his left boot and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the corner of the net.
It was measured by the millimetre, giving Ofir Marciano not a hope. Kemar Roofe applauded the excellence of his team-mate. So, too, did Steven Gerrard in the home technical area. It felt like an appropriate response.
As it turned out, the value of the goal was every bit as high as its beauty. Rangers very much needed it in the final reckoning.
Kent’s 62nd-minute peach added to a first-half opener from Joe Aribo, but any sense of assurance was removed when Kevin Nisbet headed Hibs back into contention with 12 minutes remaining.
That made them just the third Premiership team to score at Ibrox this term. Jack Ross felt the distinction should have arrived earlier when a Ryan Porteous effort was debatably chalked off.
As it was, his side pushed for more as the clock ticked down. Rangers held firm, though, thanks in part to some excellent defending from Filip Helander.
This result leaves the champions just four games shy of completing an unbeaten league season. More immediately, it was a decent enough way to warm up for a Scottish Cup last-16 encounter with Celtic next weekend.
Gerrard’s men were not at their best. They sparked only in fits and starts. But against an opponent seeking to seal third place in the top flight — and who have caused their share of problems this term — the outcome would have been more than satisfactory.
Hibs remain four points ahead of Aberdeen in their particular contest and shouldn’t suffer any blow to their confidence. The Easter Road outfit were regularly a threat on the counter-attack, with Nisbet raising his tally to 15 for the season.
Their next test comes in the cup at League Two Stranraer.
This was the 300th league meeting between these clubs — not counting wartime fixtures. While it wasn’t a classic, there was enough to hold the interest after a slow start.
Kent and Jackson Irvine exchanged long-range shots — neither of which alarmed the opposing goalkeeper — before Rangers gained reward from increasing the tempo.
The accelerator was pressed on 19 minutes. Steven Davis fed a little through-ball for Alfredo Morelos to fire across the face of goal. His effort looked to be heading just wide before Roofe was flagged offside as he slid in to force it over the line at the far post.
It was enough to bring the match to life. A terrific Borna Barisic cross from the left was then met flush by Roofe. Marciano shovelled away the powerful header but Rangers maintained the pressure.
Nathan Patterson worked the ball back into Morelos, whose drilled cross looped into the air off the shin of Porteous. Aribo watched it all the way and dispatched a controlled finish beyond Marciano for the 21st-minute opener.
It was an eighth goal of the season for the Nigeria midfielder, who looked in the mood in the opening period. His very first touch saw him pull the ball out of the air with super-glue control. Drifting into space between Paul Hanlon and Josh Doig, he provided an element of the unpredictable when he advanced.
Aribo wasn’t Doig’s only concern. His contest with Patterson pitched two of Scotland’s best teenage full-backs into direct opposition. It was a fascinating little subplot within a first half that had become more absorbing.
Hibernian weren’t prepared to roll over. Going down too easily was, however, what saw Martin Boyle booked in 27 minutes when he was challenged by Connor Goldson inside the area. It might have been a little harsh of referee Don Robertson to brand what looked a ‘coming-together’ as a dive.
Boyle, though, was a source of menace to the hosts through his pace. Operating with freedom at right wing-back, he persistently put Barisic under pressure.
One such foray got him to the area, only to dither a little in his attempt to find Nisbet. Then, five minutes before the break, he dragged a right-foot strike fractionally wide. Robertson awarded a corner, although there didn’t seem to be a defensive touch. Hanlon headed off target from Boyle’s delivery.
Nisbet had gone just as close moments earlier. Rangers got in a bit of a muddle in their own territory, with a clever run from Christian Doidge opening space in the home defence. Newell used it to pick out the Scotland newcomer for a flashing shot that was inches away from providing an equaliser.
This fixture has often produced controversy in the past, but there was a more sedate air about things as snow began to gently flutter down at Ibrox.
A little bit of heat was injected eight minutes after the interval. Goldson headed over from a Barisic free-kick, pushing away Porteous after the Hibs centreback fell on him. John Potter got a touch agitated in the visiting technical area, with both Ross and
Gerrard motioning for him to calm down, but it was handbags stuff.
Kent looked to have put Rangers out of reach, yet Hibs came back again. Boyle saw a firm drive repelled by Allan McGregor before the veteran goalkeeper touched over a Nisbet free-kick.
Porteous then had the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out for an earlier foul on Helander.
A goal for the visitors finally arrived on 78 minutes. Substitute Chris Cadden rolled the ball back for Paul McGinn to deliver a sweeping cross. Nisbet converted after getting across Goldson to net a clever header.
RANGERS (4-3-3): McGregor 7; Patterson 7, Goldson 6, Helander 8, Barisic 6; Aribo 7 (Arfield 71), Davis 7 (Zungu 88), Kamara 6; Roofe 6 (Itten 88), Morelos 6 (Hagi 71), Kent 7. Subs not used: McLaughlin, Bassey, Simpson, Stewart, Wright. Booked: Kamara, Helander, Barisic.
HIBERNIAN (3-5-2): Marciano 6; McGinn 6, Porteous 6, Hanlon 6; Boyle 7, Gogic 7 (Hallberg 83), Irvine 6 (Magennis 79), Newell 6, Doig 6; Doidge 6 (Cadden 65), Nisbet 7.
Subs not used: Macey, Gray, Wright, Stevenson, McGregor, Laidlaw. Booked: Boyle.
Man of the match: Filip Helander. Referee: Don Robertson.