21 May 2016
Hibs win Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902

A late David Gray header saw Hibernian beat Rangers to end a tortuous 114-year wait to lift the Scottish Cup.

Anthony Stokes scored twice for Hibs, either side of goals from Kenny Miller and Andy Halliday.

Then Gray headed in the winner before Hibs celebrated a timeless triumph.

Hibs fans spilled onto the pitch in their thousands after the final whistle, with some running towards the Rangers end, where pockets of supporters broke to confront them.

Players and match officials were caught up in the pitch invasion, which eventually saw mounted police enter the pitch.

Both sides had to leave the field, with Rangers given their medals in the dressing room and Hibs waiting for the pitch to be cleared before they could emerge to collect the trophy.

The Hibs players had began as though the manager's instructions were constantly ringing in their ears. The strategy was that the three centre-backs would stifle the corridors of space that Rangers look to exploit in attack, while heavy pressing would disrupt the rhythm of Mark Warburton's side.

The planning would have been meticulous, but an immediate advantage would not have been anticipated. There was a committed intent that enthused Hibs' play. It was evident in the way that Stokes clattered into Jason Holt in the first minute, but also in the way the striker drove into the Rangers penalty area before expertly placing a shot beyond Wes Foderingham.

Rangers' players were immediately subdued, although some might have been feeling an element of culpability. Halliday and James Tavernier had failed to win the ball from John McGinn, while Rob Kiernan allowed Stokes the time and space to measure his options.

Stokes naturally tends to drift out to the left, but the instinct would have been encouraged by Stubbs since the space between Tavernier and Kiernan is the most vulnerable area of the Rangers defence. Cummings and Stokes both made inroads, but the extent of Rangers' unease could be measured by the raggedness of their play.

Passes went astray and possession was cheaply discarded, which would have infuriated Warburton when his entire philosophy is based on taking care of the ball. Resourcefulness can be prized, though, and it was a departure from their short passing game that brought Rangers level.

Foderingham's kick up field was won by Miller, allowing Barrie McKay to gather possession and carry the ball across the field. When he found Tavernier, the full-back immediately swept a cross into the box from deep, and Miller leapt ahead of the Hibs defender Darren McGregor to plant a header past Conrad Logan.

Flaws made the game exhilarating. The defending was so inept at times that opportunities were inevitable. Stokes sent an effort bouncing off the post, then Miller won another header inside the Hibs penalty area and his effort cannoned off the crossbar.

Stokes was irrepressible at times, at least when faced with Tavernier, who had little answer to the forward's runs. Stokes cut inside the full-back early in the second half, but his effort was pushed away by Foderingham. That was a feature of the rest of the game, but it was Rangers who dredged up the guile to take the lead.

Halliday was allowed the room to shape to shoot, around 25 yards out, but his effort was fierce, true and flew past Logan into the far side of the net. The onus, then, was on Hibs to respond, and the players found the means to regather themselves.

The introduction of Liam Henderson made an impact, not least because of his set-piece deliveries. From one, Stokes muscled Tavernier aside to head in at the near post. It was from another corner kick, again from Henderson, that Gray scored his historic, momentous goal, before surging off towards the fans to celebrate.

  • Line-ups
  • Match Stats
  • Live Text

Line-ups

Rangers

  • 25Foderingham
  • 2TavernierBooked at 56mins
  • 4Kiernan
  • 27Wilson
  • 5Wallace
  • 8ZelalemSubstituted forShielsat 63'minutes
  • 16Halliday
  • 23Holt
  • 33WaghornSubstituted forClarkat 75'minutes
  • 9Miller
  • 19McKay

Substitutes

  • 1Bell
  • 7Law
  • 14Clark
  • 22Shiels
  • 62Burt

Hibernian

  • 25Logan
  • 24McGregor
  • 4HanlonSubstituted forGunnarssonat 83'minutes
  • 5FontaineSubstituted forHendersonat 70'minutes
  • 2Gray
  • 8FyvieBooked at 59mins
  • 10McGeouch
  • 18McGinn
  • 16Stevenson
  • 28Stokes
  • 35CummingsSubstituted forKeatingsat 65'minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Oxley
  • 3Henderson
  • 6Bartley
  • 17Boyle
  • 19Keatings
  • 27Gunnarsson
  • 29Dagnall
Referee:
Steven McLean
Attendance:
50,701

Match Stats

Home TeamRangersAway TeamHibernian
Possession
Home60%
Away40%
Shots
Home7
Away21
Shots on Target
Home2
Away8
Corners
Home3
Away5
Fouls
Home6
Away13

Live Text

Match ends, Rangers 2, Hibernian 3.

Full Time

Second Half ends, Rangers 2, Hibernian 3.

Foul by Dean Shiels (Rangers).

Dylan McGeouch (Hibernian) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Goal!

Goal! Rangers 2, Hibernian 3. David Gray (Hibernian) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Liam Henderson with a cross following a corner.

Corner, Hibernian. Conceded by Wes Foderingham.

Attempt saved. Anthony Stokes (Hibernian) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.

Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Niklas Gunnarsson.

Substitution

Substitution, Hibernian. Niklas Gunnarsson replaces Paul Hanlon.

Goal!

Goal! Rangers 2, Hibernian 2. Anthony Stokes (Hibernian) header from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Liam Henderson with a cross following a corner.

Corner, Hibernian. Conceded by Danny Wilson.

Jason Holt (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Liam Henderson (Hibernian).

Attempt missed. Anthony Stokes (Hibernian) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.

Substitution

Substitution, Rangers. Nicky Clark replaces Martyn Waghorn.

Foul by Dean Shiels (Rangers).

Paul Hanlon (Hibernian) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Andy Halliday (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Dylan McGeouch (Hibernian).

Substitution

Substitution, Hibernian. Liam Henderson replaces Liam Fontaine.

Lee Wallace (Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by James Keatings (Hibernian).

Attempt missed. Anthony Stokes (Hibernian) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses the top left corner.

Attempt missed. Anthony Stokes (Hibernian) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses the top left corner.

Jason Holt (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Lewis Stevenson (Hibernian).

Substitution

Substitution, Hibernian. James Keatings replaces Jason Cummings.

Goal!

Goal! Rangers 2, Hibernian 1. Andy Halliday (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Barrie McKay.

Lee Wallace (Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Anthony Stokes (Hibernian).

Substitution

Substitution, Rangers. Dean Shiels replaces Gedion Zelalem.

Booking

Fraser Fyvie (Hibernian) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Gedion Zelalem (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Fraser Fyvie (Hibernian).

Andy Halliday (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Foul by Anthony Stokes (Hibernian).

Attempt missed. Martyn Waghorn (Rangers) header from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right.

Attempt missed. Liam Fontaine (Hibernian) header from the centre of the box misses to the right following a set piece situation.

Booking

James Tavernier (Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Foul by James Tavernier (Rangers).

goal