Martin Boyle’s sensational first-half hat-trick sent Hibs through to the Scottish League Cup final with a 3-1 win over a Rangers side playing their first match since Steven Gerrard’s departure.
In front of Giovanni Van Bronckhorst, who will take over at Ibrox on Monday, Rangers were shellshocked by a Hibs side coming into the game on a run of four straight defeats, and left themselves too much to do to come back from Boyle’s solo heroics.
The Australian international was handed a gift by Rangers captain James Tavernier for the opener, receiving a deflection practically on the goal-line to net.
One became two, and then three soon after as Boyle first took Kevin Nisbet’s pass in his stride and fired across Allan McGregor, before sealing his hat-trick from the spot after Steven Davis barged into him inside the box.
Scott Arfield struck for the league leaders before half-time to give them a sliver of hope, but none more would materialise after the break as Hibs withstood an onslaught to emerge unscathed and set up a date with Rangers’ city rivals Celtic in next month’s final at Hampden Park.
More to follow…