Heavy defeat but boss seems chipper

There is certainly no shame in losing at Ibrox with Sunday’s game extending the SPL champions undefeated run even further. Rangers have developed a consistency of late and even when they have not been at their best, they have managed to grind out results.

With that in mind, many felt it would have been wise for Hughes to stifle his natural tendencies and to present a more cautious approach at Ibrox. Hughes was having none of it, as outlined in his post-match interview with BBC Scotland.

“You don’t win a boxing match if you don’t throw any punches.”

“So I am not going to be too critical of the team.”

“I have come to places like this and shut up shop and taken no points.”

“I think we had the better chances of the first half, had a go and it was a good advert for Scottish football.”

Hughes was definitely right to say that his team had the better of the first half, Hanlon’s header being cleared off the line in the game’s best chance of the half.

Rangers had a reasonable shout for a penalty when Hogg tussled with Weir but the biggest moment of the first half was to come on the touchline.

Kris Boyd appeared to elbow Zemmama in the face, an act that many will say should be defined as a red card, although the Moroccan international agreed with the yellow, if not the spirit of what Boyd did.

“In Scotland it was a yellow card but in other countries it would have been a red”

“Boyd didn’t look for the ball, only for my face and body. It was a bad challenge which was disappointing.”

Steven Conroy booked Boyd and as he never raised his hand indicating an indirect free-kick, it was extremely interesting to see that the booking was later stated to be for obstruction.

Obstruction is a foul that merits an indirect free-kick so therefore the referee should have been signalling with his hand in the air until the kick was taken. He didn’t. It all adds to the confusion which is created by an unclear disciplinary system in Scotland.

This was also the opinion of Zemmama;

“The referee was right to book him. In the UK that kind of challenge is normal and only ever gets a yellow.”

“The referee gave it for obstruction which surprised me.”

So, the scores were 0-0 at half-time and the player count was 11-11, so far so good for Hughes but it all came crashing down in the opening minutes of the second half.

Steven Whittaker was allowed to walk through the Hibs defence, the ex-Hibee played a neat one-two with Kyle Lafferty and then delivered a sweet strike behind Smith in goals. In one swift move, all of Hibs good work was undone but again, in fairness to Hughes, his team never relented.

Hibs were unlucky not to grab an equaliser when McGregor in goals for Rangers fumbled a Zemmama effort, grasping it at the second attempt.

The game was over as a contest on 72 minutes and yet again Hibs were on the receiving end of what appeared to be the wrong decision by Steven Conroy, who has made almost countless wrong decisions this season.

As we said, Conroy probably got it wrong in the first half when Rangers should have had a penalty (and a regular reader has pointed out a missed ‘off-the-ball’ kick by Liam Miller on Lee McCulloch as being worthy of viewing), he was even more wrong on this occasion.

Kenny Miller went down without any contact by Sol Bamba and whilst a booking for simulation would have been the correct decision, a penalty was awarded which Kris Boyd duly dispatched.

Rangers fan have probably decided to dismiss anything the opinions of Zemmama as the rantings of a player upset at losing but the Moroccan had further to say about the penalty award;

“I don’t think it was a penalty”

“Miller went down far too easily. For me, it shouldn’t have been given but the referee made his decision and we had to accept it.”

Again though, no large condemnation for a referee, which should be pleasing for the SFA and perhaps Hugh Dallas will come out and commend Zemmama for the way that he has reacted to these decisions going against him, as the SFA man has done so in the past.

The injury time strike by another ex Hibs man Kenny Miller made it 3-0 but by that time, the margin wasn’t the issue and certainly did a disservice to Hibs.

As John Hughes will readily admit, his side are probably not at the stage where they are going to compete at Ibrox and Celtic Park every time and although the last two games against Rangers have ended up thrashings for the Leith club, there shouldn’t be too much dismay at Easter Road.

If the decisions had gone the way of Hibs as opposed to Rangers, it could have been a different story but as long as Hibs bounce back quickly, they can put this match behind them.

A match versus St Johnstone this midweek gives Hibs the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways and to put the focus back on Celtic.

The other Glasgow side are having a tricky time, with defensive errors costing them on a weekly basis so it is not beyond the realms of possibilities that Hibs could overtake Celtic and claim a Champions League qualifier spot.

So yes, a bad day at the office for John Hughes but no reason for despondency.

Of course, Hibees, what would you take:
5th place and the Scottish Cup or 2nd place and Hampden misery again?

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