Rangers huffed and puffed but failed to bring the house down on their way past Hibernian at Ibrox, as Tom Lawrence produced a rare moment of real quality in a game that was largely devoid of it to earn the hosts a crucial three points.
It wasn’t quite the triumphant homecoming to a full Ibrox that the fans or the team would have wanted, but it was a triumph nonetheless, and after the exertions of the brilliant win over Malmo in midweek, Philippe Clement will settle for that.
It might have been different for the visitors had Mykola Kukharevych not squandered the chance to level from the spot just before half time, the big striker being denied by the impressive Jack Butland, but a decent enough showing from Hibs ultimately went unrewarded.
Here are the talking points from Ibrox…
FANS NOT REALLY REWARDED ON RETURN TO FULL IBROX
There was much excitement at the return of Rangers to their home - full for the first time this season - after the wholly unsatisfactory experience of playing at Hampden, but the atmosphere was always going to be rather stymied by the scheduling.
Most fans were still digesting their breakfast rolls and bacon when the teams emerged, and the rather pedestrian start to the game from the home side after their heroics in Malmo only served to add to the low-key feel around the famous old ground.
It sparked to life after the opener for a spell, but it was noisy in the second half for all the wrong reasons, as passes went astray and Rangers looked lethargic. Indeed, Vaclav Cerny even bit back at the Main Stand after a negative pass had drawn deserved groans from the crowd.
The fans tried gamely, but they weren’t really helped by what they saw from their team.
CAN TOM LAWRENCE SHOW QUALITY CONSISTENTLY?
It seemed a shame – for anyone not of a Hibs persuasion anyway - when the offside flag was raised to initially disallow Lawrence’s brilliant curling effort, not least of all because it was the first bit of genuine quality the game had produced in a little over half an hour of largely turgid football.
When the ball was slipped into the midfielder on the left-hand side he had so much to do, but cut inside before measuring his finish into the far top corner of Josef Bursik’s net to perfection to rouse Ibrox from its slumber.
The flag from the far-side assistant rather stymied the celebrations, but after a long, long VAR review, Lawrence was eventually judged to have been just the right side of the line and the goal was given.
It is Lawrence’s third this season, which already matches his total from the entirety of last term, and it was a goal that exhibited the undoubted ability he possesses. The trouble is that Rangers fans have just not seen it anywhere near enough for their liking.
If he can contribute like this on a more consistent basis, he can be a hugely valuable player for manager Clement, and that is now the challenge before him.
JACK BUTLAND DENIES HIBS, WHO LEAVE IBROX WITH REGRETS
With Ibrox belatedly rocking after the opening goal, there was something of an expectation that this Hibs team may have gone under like so many before them, but the response from David Gray’s men was actually decent.
First of all, Junior Hoilett showed excellent feet at the edge of the area to set up Celtic loanee Hyeokkyu Kwon for a shot that Butland did brilliantly to get down and tip around the post, and the Rangers keeper would soon have more work to do.
The resultant corner caused havoc in the Rangers area, and as John Souttar tried desperately to block the ball in the six-yard area, he lifted his elbow at the inopportune moment to connect with the ball.
The initial claims from the Hibs players were waved away by referee Nick Walsh, but once again, VAR got involved, and in fairness, once again it brought the officials to the correct conclusion.
Kukharevych stepped and stuttered his way up to the ball, but Butland didn’t blink, and flopped down onto the striker’s tame effort from the spot to ensure that Rangers went in at the interval with their lead intact.
That was rather the story of the day for Hibs, who threatened consistently from set-pieces in particular, but were just missing a clinical edge to really hurt a Rangers defence who didn’t look comfortable whenever the ball was thrown into their box.
Their best chance came late on as Chris Cadden picked out substitute Dwight Gayle in the area, but he somehow headed wide with the goal gaping, and Rangers were off the hook.
NICOLAS RASKIN FAILS TO GRASP CHANCE
Given the tight turnaround from the away game in Sweden, Rangers manager Clement shuffled his pack a little for this, and he handed Raskin his first start of the season at the heart of the midfield. He would, though, only make it to half time.
The Belgian’s situation is a strange one to fathom. Impressive for the most part following his arrival in Glasgow, it was widely thought the appointment of his compatriot would see Raskin become a central figure of this Rangers side.
Instead, he has become a peripheral one, and while he did ok here before being replaced by Kieran Dowell, his manager clearly wants to see more from him.
HAMZA IGAMANE QUIET, BUT HARD TO JUDGE
It’s not been the best week for Igamane, who followed up the visa snafu that kept him from travelling to Sweden with a rather ineffective performance as he was handed a start in place of Dessers at the pointy end of the Rangers attack.
Such a description of the Ibrox frontline may be rather generous on the day, mind. If the problem for Igamane was that his teammates failed to create a chance for him, Dessers couldn’t say the same, as Nedim Bajrami put one on a plate for the big Nigerian to clinch it late on.
His header from two yards though was somehow kept out by Bursik, and the home fans were forced to endure a nervy ending as their side just about got over the line in the end.
