Match report as Martin Boyle’s first-half hat-trick sends Hibernian into the Scottish League Cup final as Rangers start life after Steven Gerrard with defeat in front of incoming manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst
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.
Hibs return to form to leave Rangers reeling
It was quite a start as Paul Hanlon and Hibs midfielder Joe Newell picked up bookings from referee Kevin Clancy for fouls on Gers playmaker Joe Aribo.
Boyle then started the scoring in the ninth minute when he knocked the ball past Gers keeper McGregor from a yard out after it appeared that Rangers skipper Tavernier had tried to chest Newell’s corner back to his keeper and came up short.
