Rangers vs Hibernian a few quick thoughts
Dan Tracey
May 22, 2016
2,310 Views
- What a Cup Final that was
- Whisper it quietly and it was arguably better than the English one a couple of hours later
- Actually not arguably it was
- Perhaps the skill of the players wouldn’t have been at Wembley level but that took absolutely nothing away from the entertainment level yesterday Afternoon at Hampden
- It was Hibs who started quick out of the blocks with Anthony Stokes being given the freedom of the pitch to slot home on just 3 minutes to send the traveling Easter Road into raptures
- Rangers were caught cold and Hibs could have been two up soon after with Stokes dragging his effort wide
- Stokes having shots on goal was to be a recurring theme all afternoon
- It was a tale of two strikers with Anthony Stokes at one end and Kenny Miller at the other
- And it was Kenny Miller who leveled matters for Rangers after a pin point header launched the ball into the net
- The kind of goal we’ve seen countless times by the 36 year old
- And it was Miller who nearly put Rangers ahead but his header back cannoned off the crossbar
- That coupled with Stokes hitting the post for Hibs and it was clear to see that these two men were going to be the main goal threat
- The pace of the first half was relentless, with countless chances by either side but credit must also go to the Referee who let the game flow and it was as almost as he forgot to bring his cards along
- Not one booking and the first half ended right on 45 minutes
- A well needed breather for both sided during half time as they needed the opportunity to regroup for the second half
- It’s fair to say the second half wasn’t quite at the same pace but the first half was so frenetic that was always going to be the case
- But it was Rangers who went in front for the first time as Greg Halliday’s stunning 20 yard strike fizzed into the net to put the blue half of Hampden on top
- That was midway through the second half but it still allowed Hibs time to get back into the game
- Again Anthony Stokes was at everything to do with Hibs’ attacking industry
- He had no fewer than 12 attempts on goal more than Rangers did in the whole game
- But after spurning so many you had the feeling it wasn’t to be his day
- But 10 minutes from time he got his second of the game, a near post header after getting the better of Liam Tavernier. To be fair he ran Tavernier absolutely ragged all game and his second of the game was nothing short of deserved
- But would Stokes profligacy in front of goal prove to be costly
- Both teams went off in search of a winner with the prospect of Extra Time looming
- Hibs had one last roll of the dice and again it was another corner
- But this time it was David Gray who reached Babylon and his header gave Hibs a dramatic winner to end their 114 year wait for the Scottish Cup
- Dramatic scenes then turned to ugly as Hibs fans first piled onto the pitch which then led to a retaliatory invasion from Rangers fans.
- Not quite what you want to see after such a good game of Football and it will arguably take the gloss off of Hibs’ success
- But credit must go to Alan Stubbs who has masterminded this Cup win and also a place in next season’s Europa League
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