Jason Holt at the double as Rangers beat Hibernian
Jason Holt's first-half double helped a resurgent Rangers regain control of the Ladbrokes Championship title race following a 4-2 win at Ibrox.
Jason Cummings had fired Hibs ahead with his 15th goal of the season but the Light Blues responded with Holt's brace in the final 11 minutes of the first half.
Alan Stubbs had tried to put the pressure on Mark Warburton's team with his pre-match mind games but it was Rangers who had the last laugh when substitute Nicky Clark and Martyn Wagorn fired home either side of Dominique Malonga's late scrambled header for Hibs.
The game's big talking point came with 20 minutes left as Andy Halliday was harshly sent off by referee Bobby Madden following a clash with Fraser Fyvie.
But Gers held on to re-establish themselves as the promotion frontrunners with a three-point lead.
In front of a sell-out crowd, the teams ran out to an atmosphere than had all the crackle and spark of an Old Firm battle.
The action was just as frantic as the those fiery derby exchanges with chances at either end.
Hibs came close inside the first five minutes as Cummings flashed a header wide.
Gers, though, should have broken the deadlock when Mark Oxley flapped at James Tavernier's deflected strike. The ball fell straight to Barrie McKay but with the goal-gaping the winger screwed his shot horribly wide.
It looked like the miss could prove costly as Hibs grabbed the opener after 23 minutes. A deflected Liam Henderson shot landed for Cummings at the back post. Played on by Rob Kiernan, the striker calmly lifted the ball over Wes Foderingham for the opener.
A goal down to their title rivals, Gers were facing their biggest test of Warburton's reign.
But the Englishman got the response he was looking for after 33 minutes. Tavernier robbed Fyvie in midfield before finding Wahgorn bursting into the box. His lay-off for Holt was perfect as the former Hearts man arrived to stroke home the leveller.
And two minutes before the break they scored again. Holt collected a McKay pass in the box. His initial shot was heading straight for Oxley's grasp until Paul Hanlon left a leg hanging, redirecting the ball past the wrong-footed keeper.
Dean Shiels and Clark were brought on after 62 minutes. Within three minutes the substitutes had combined to put Rangers further ahead.
Shiels robbed Liam Fontaine on the edge of the Hibs box before clipping a cross over to Clark for the striker to steer home.
But Rangers were made to sweat out the final 20 minutes when Halliday was dismissed. The midfield anchorman reacted angrily to a Fyvie trip but was amazed to see Madden flash red after thrusting his shoulder into the Hibs man's chest.
Substitute Malonga made the most of confusion in the home ranks to nod home a second for Hibs three minutes from time but Waghorn killed off any fears when he drove in from the right to beat Oxley from close range in stoppage time.
Source: PA
