TERRY BUTCHER reckons Hibernian are still in the driving seat to finish second in the Championship this season - despite Rangers' impressive Easter Road success on Sunday.

New Ibrox boss Stuart McCall got his first win since replacing Kenny McDowall in the dugout as goals from Lee Wallace and Kenny Miller earned a deserved 2-0 triumph in the capital.

Rangers are now just three points adrift of Alan Stubbs' side in the second tier standings and still have a game in hand as they gear up for the visit of Cowdenbeath this weekend.

The Light Blues have been given a major shot in the arm since McCall's arrival and there have been signs of encouragement for fans in recent weeks.

But former Hibs boss Butcher reckons it is the Leith outfit that are still favourites to be best of the rest behind champions Hearts.

He said: "They lost against Rangers last Sunday and that was obviously a major blow considering they had beaten them three times out of three in the league before that so Rangers, with Stuart McCall now in charge - he drew his first two games and then won that game last week - they've got a bit of momentum but I would still say Hibs are in the driving seat.

"You want to finish second because you play the game against the winners of the third and fourth play-off, you play away first then at home, and you have home advantage for the second game and that's normally pretty crucial so you want to try finishing second if you possibly can."

Having seen his side throw away four crucial points as they were held at home by struggling Livingston and Alloa in his first two games as boss, it was third-time lucky for McCall as Rangers ended their barren run in style at the weekend.

And Butcher is confident the nine-in-a-row hero is the right man to transform Rangers' fortunes after Ally McCoist and McDowall both struggled to string together a consistent run of form earlier this season.

He said: "He's got experience, he's Rangers through and through, he knows what it means, and gets a lot of respect from the fans and from the players.

"He's been over the course before in terms of getting Rangers to titles and cups.

"It's a different role for him really and it's a role that he wouldn't have envisaged with the club in such a financially perilous position but he's got character, Stuart, and he's a winner.

"He gets players playing and gets the best out of players. Not that Ally McCoist didn't - they are two legends at Ibrox - but it's a different scene for him now and with Kenny Black, an ex-Rangers player there as his No.2, he's got good experience behind him."