It was better than Barca, says Lennon

NEIL LENNON ranked the achievement of steering injury-ravaged Hibernian to victory over Rangers yesterday alongside beating Barcelona in the Champions League.

A John McGinn strike and a Jamie Maclaren penalty gave Lennon his second win at Ibrox this season.

Beset by a host of selection problems that ruled out an entire back four, Lennon likened the best result of his Hibs tenure to the ultimate glory night of his Celtic coaching career in November 2012.

Lennon said: ‘That’s right up there for me in my managerial career, next to Barcelona, under the circumstances with the injuries.

‘I have Paul Hanlon out, Darren McGregor

out, Steven Whittaker out, David Gray out and then we lose Brandon Barker.

‘So I have got Stevenson, a left-back playing centre-half, John McGinn at left wing-back, Martin Boyle right wingback. I’ve two strikers who haven’t played together and Scott Allan making his second debut.

‘I’ve young (Ryan) Porteous making his first full start. He was incredible coming into that environment. Making one superb block near the end.

‘My big players turned up and I have a kid playing at centrehalf and at the end I didn’t know who to bring on or what to do.

‘It’s an incredible performance. All the plaudits should go to the players. They were amazing, especially in the first half playing some unbelievable football.

‘In the context of my time as manager here, it’s the best result I’ve had, no question.’

Lennon stressed that catching Rangers was now the long-term target after their fifth game in 14 days since the winter break.

The result moved the Easter Road side to within two points of the Ibrox side.

‘We have shown great character to put us in a strong position in the league,’ said Lennon.

Ibrox boss Graeme Murty complained that Hibs’ penalty was a gift from referee Willie Collum.

When asked what James Tavernier said about the decision to penalise his challenge on Scott Allan, Murty said: ‘He said it was the softest thing he’s seen. Add the expletives where you like.

‘I asked him: “Have you put your hands on him”. He said: “No”.

‘So he’s gone over in the box. It’s a lesson to us that, if you get in that area, the last thing you want to do is let the ref become a factor in the game. And we have managed to make that happen.’

Maclaren slammed home the penalty just two minutes after Sean Goss equalised for Rangers with a brilliant free-kick.

Australian World Cup hopeful MacLaren, on loan from SV Darmstadt, said: ‘I wasn’t nervous taking the penalty and didn’t think about the crowd.

‘I wasn’t going to let anyone else take it.’