Hibernian´s Stack stands firm to deny Rangers victory

Hibernian had goalkeeper Graham Stack to thank as his man-of-the-match performance sealed a 1-1 draw with Rangers at Ibrox.

Stack pulled off several great saves to leave Rangers frustrated as they failed to convert a host of chances.

The goalkeeper could do nothing about Kris Boyd’s eighth-minute opener before Anthony Stokes showed tremendous skill to score a second-half leveller as both sides had goals ruled out for offside.

The draw leaves Rangers two points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League, but rivals Celtic have the chance to leapfrog them on Sunday when they play Hamilton.

Hibs’ attacking 4-2-4 line-up didn’t take long to create a chance and within 50 seconds Derek Riordan sent a shot across goal which Allan McGregor was relieved to see go wide.

Rangers immediately responded when Boyd turned Chris Hogg in the box and sent a low drive inches wide of Stack’s post.

However, it only took until the eighth minute for Boyd to find the back of the net.

Steven Whittaker’s floated cross was headed back across goal by Kyle Lafferty and Boyd was there to bundle the ball home from two yards out.

Hibs continued to press forward and midway through the half a poor Steven Naismith pass allowed Merouane Zemmama through on goal but his shot was deflected behind off the feet of McGregor.

The Edinburgh side thought they had equalised from the resulting corner when Stokes fired in the rebound after Moroccan international Zemmama’s shot cracked off the post but the Irishman had been flagged offside.

Rangers should have increased their lead when Boyd knocked a cross back across the six-yard box but Kenny Miller couldn’t direct his header on target.

Great goalkeeping from Stack foiled Boyd’s shot from close range before Lafferty sent his weak curling effort straight into the arms of the keeper after being sent clean through.

McGregor, in his 151st appearance for Rangers, then pulled off a great save from Stokes before scrambling away a David Wotherspoon drive from 20 yards on the stroke of half-time.

Rangers started the second-half strongly and Miller came close when his header from a Steven Smith free-kick clipped the crossbar.

Hibs slowly found their way back into the game and showed their intentions when McGregor had to be at full-stretch to tip Zemmama’s powerful drive over the bar.

The Easter Road outfit equalised with a fantastic goal from Stokes.

The Irishman showed tremendous skill to pull the ball down with his back to goal on the edge of the box and juggling it past Weir before volleying into the top right-hand corner.

Stokes and McGregor clashed minutes later and the former Sunderland striker was lucky to only receive a yellow card when he pushed the Rangers keeper to the ground.

Rangers brought on Nacho Novo in an attempt to inject some urgency to their play but it was Hibs who came closest to a winner.

Stokes went on a rampaging run down the left but substitute Colin Nish could only hit his inviting cross off the post.

With minutes to go Boyd was left seething after he went down in the box following a challenge from behind but referee Charlie Richmond booked him for diving.

Novo thought he had scored a dramatic injury-time winner when he lashed home past Stack but he had already been flagged offside.

Elsewhere Kilmarnock defeated St Johnstone 2-1, Dundee United won 2-0 away to Aberdeen, Hearts and Falkirk was goalless and St Mirren drew 3-3 with Motherwell.