HIBERNIAN still have a fair bit of ground to make up if they are to finish runners-up in their first season back in the top flight due largely to the erratic start they made to their Ladbrokes Premiership campaign last year.

They remain five points adrift of Aberdeen despite this fine victory over the second-placed team in the league at Easter Road yesterday.

Rangers, who can edge ahead of the Pittodrie club on goal difference should they beat struggling Hamilton away this afternoon, also need to be caught and overtaken and that will not be easy either.

But if Neil Lennon’s side can maintain the form they are currently producing – this was their fourth win in the five Premiership games they have played since the winter break – in their remaining matches then they can certainly challenge strongly for that position.

It is not a feat they have managed since way back in the 1974/75 season, when Eddie Turnbull was tyrannical presence in the dugout and the likes of John Brownlie, Pat Stanton, John Blackley, Iain Munro and Alex Cropley were a match for any rival in the country on their day, but it is not at all fanciful to suggest it can be achieved on the evidence of this impressive triumph.

“It was the performance of the season,” said Lennon afterwards. “Ibrox was good, but you have to put into context the opposition we were playing and the form they have been in. They are an excellent side. But I thought we were outstanding and thoroughly deserved to win.

“With Hearts dropping points, it has extended the gap between us and them. But we are looking up the way rather than backwards.

"There's a lot of football to be played. We have some tough games coming up and then the split will be very exciting as well. But we had a full crowd today, the atmosphere was fantastic and the players fed off that.”

The last time Hibs met Aberdeen back in December, after the capital club had played both Celtic and Rangers in the space of four days, they produced a tepid display that enraged their manager and led to them being soundly thrashed 4-1.

They were an altogether different team yesterday. Scott Allan and Florian Kamberi, who arrived on loan from Celtic and Grasshoppers respectively during the January transfer window, have improved them tangibly.

Allan, who dovetailed superbly with Dylan McGeouch and John McGinn, adds much-needed guile to their play going forward while Kamberi, who netted the second goal yesterday, brings a steeliness to their play up front.

The former, whose delivery to Jamie MacLaren in the first minute of the second half helped set up Martin Boyle for the opening goal, has pleased and surprised Lennon, who believes he is capable of plying his trade at a far higher level, while the latter has also impressed his manager greatly.

"I thought Scott may have been a little boyband player,” he said. “But his attitude in training has been fantastic. He wants it. He takes responsibility with the ball and at the minute he's taking responsibility off the ball as well. He can see things and has composure.

“On top of that, he's very fit now, his cardiovascular and conditioning is in a really good place and I hope he continues in the same vein because he's got the game to play for a lot of good clubs. It's up to him now.

“Kamberi has also made us better. We needed a physical presence and he has certainly given us that. I am absolutely delighted. One swallow doesn’t make a summer. We have to maintain our consistency of performance. But we are in a good place.”

Derek McInnes, whose charges have finished second in the Premiership three years running, certainly feels that Lennon’s men are capable of stealing their mantle.

“We said at the start of the season that Rangers were huge favourites to finish in second spot and Hibs would be pushing us for that third spot,” he said. “We don’t want to give up second spot. We want to finish as high as we can. But when you play a good team like Hibs you have to be better than than we were today.”

Aberdeen unquestionably missed Graeme Shinnie, who is suspended, yesterday. Chidi Nwakali, on loan from Manchester City, failed to make an impression and was replaced by Kari Arnason after little more than an hour. But Freddie Woodman, who has taken the place of the injured Joe Lewis, was the visitors’ outstanding performer.

There was nothing between the teams in the first half. But Hibs took control after Lennon tweaked his tactics at half-time. Boyle put them in front with a header in the 47th minute after Woodman had pulled off a fantastic double save from MacLaren and Kamberi made sure of the three points after Paul Hanlon had a shot blocked.