Rangers mark Premiership return with win over Hibs at Easter Road

Rangers have made a winning return to Premiership action with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Hibernian at Easter Road on Wednesday.

The win means Philippe Clement’s side cuts the gap at the top of the league to five points with leaders Celtic still having played a game more.

Ridvan Yilmaz and Todd Cantwell both scored in the first-half to give Rangers a two goal lead going into the break.

Cyriel Dessers was only on the park for a matter of minutes when got the third late in the second-half to secure all three points in the capital.

Fabio Silva was handed his first start since signing on loan from Wolves at the start of the month, and the Portuguese forward came close to grabbing the opener.

Rabbi Matondo made a good run down the left-wing before feeding Silva who had a shot at goal that was inches by the post in the opening stages of the game.

Rangers grabbed the opener when Yilmaz ran on to a chipped through ball by John Lundstram before taking a touch and smashing it past David Marshall to make it 1-0 on the half-hour mark.

Hibs pushed for the equaliser and Youan came close with a header that sailed just wide of Jack Butland’s post following a cross from Joe Newell.

The Rangers goalkeeper was called into action again from another Youan effort and he managed to palm the Frenchman’s shot wide for a corner.

James Tavernier came close to doubling the lead against the run of play just before half-time but Marshall done well to keep the close-range shot out.

But just moments later Cantwell struck to make it 2-0 in first-half injury time to give Philippe Clement’s side some breathing space going into the break.

The goal turned out to be the former Norwich man’s last action of the game as he and Nico Raskin were replaced at half-time by Dujon Sterling and Tom Lawrence.

After the restart Hibs came close to getting themselves back in it but Butland proved to be difference again when he pulled of a fine save to deny Myziane from close range.

Rangers managed to contain the home side for most of the second-half as they looked to see out the game with the three-points in-tact.

And with just less than 20 minutes remaining Dessers rolled the ball past Marshall with a tidy finish to make it 3-0 and secure the win.

The Nigerian forward had only been on the pitch for a couple of minutes after replacing Silva up top when he got his goal.

Lawrence had the ball in the net with five minutes remaining but the goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR check.

Marshall then did well to keep out a shot from Scott Wright in injury-time.

However that was all immaterial to the final result as the game was all but over and the three points heading back to Glasgow.

It’s another away tie up next for the Ibrox side as they make the short trip to Paisley to take on St Mirren in Saturday’s early kick-off in the top-flight.