COME the end of the season, Rangers will look back at their matches with Hibernian and wonder just how they didn’t take more points from them. For the third time this term, Steven Gerrard’s side were held as Florian Kamberi cancelled out Daniel Candeias’ opener.

This was a match that Rangers dominated and should have won by three or four. The fact that they didn’t will anger as much as frustrate Gerrard and the Gers fans.

THE TITLE IS SURELY OUTWITH RANGERS’ REACH NOW

RANGERS were always going to need a helping hand in the closing weeks of the season if they were going to win the Premiership title. That ambition now looks beyond them.

A win for Celtic at home to Aberdeen on Saturday will take them ten points clear with just nine games remaining and it is difficult to see Neil Lennon’s side giving up that kind of advantage.

This game summed up Rangers’ season in many ways. In spells, they were very good, but missed chances came back to cost them dearly and two more crucial points were dropped.

There were positives for Steven Gerrard to take, but the negative result overshadows them all and he must pick his players up for a Scottish Cup replay with Aberdeen on Tuesday night that is of even greater significance now.

MORELOS MORE THAN DESERVES HIS NEW DEAL

HIS value in the transfer market has been the source of debate once again this week but his importance to Rangers certainly isn’t up for question. The future of Morelos beyond the end of the season is still in doubt but the new contract that he signed, until the summer of 2023, will ensure the Gers can go to the negotiating table with a strong hand should any suitors come calling.

The Colombian would have been desperate to mark his long-term deal with a goal but chances were hard to come by in a first half that Rangers dominated but somehow only had one goal to show for their efforts. A low strike across target was saved by Ofir Marciano, while a drive from distance was gathered at the second attempt.

As the game went on, and then turned against Rangers, Morelos’ frustrations were clear to see. This wasn’t the night he had hoped for.

RANGERS WON THE MIDFIELD BATTLE

THE one area of the team where Rangers certainly aren’t short of options in midfield but the selection decisions are becoming slightly easier for Steven Gerrard at present. Having mixed and matched for much of the campaign, he now seems to have a settled three in Ryan Jack, Glen Kamara and Scott Arfield.

Rangers dominated the midfield battle from the opening stages here. Jack was combative, Kamara neat and tidy and Arfield the most creative of the three.

There is a good balance of attributes and styles between the trio and it really should have been the foundations upon which Rangers won this game. Somehow, they didn’t.

HIBS FANS SHAME THEMSELVES FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A WEEK

STEVEN Gerrard addressed the rise in incidents of supporter misbehaviour at his pre-match press conference on Thursday morning. Just hours later, there was another moment of shame to add to the ever-growing list as James Tavernier was attacked at the same end of the ground where Scott Sinclair had a bottle thrown at him last weekend.

Thankfully, like the Celtic winger, the Rangers captain was unharmed as a fan ran out of the crowd and confronted him before he could turn and make his way off the park. A shocked Tavernier stood his ground as the flashpoint quickly came to an end but it could have been much worse.

That particular Hibbee would have spent the second half in the company of Police Scotland. He should never see the inside of a Scottish ground again.

Gerrard warned that players could chose not to ply their trade here if fans don’t stop throwing missiles from the stand. This latest incident shows that some will just never learn and Hibernian have a serious problem that has to be addressed.

THIS WAS A BAD NIGHT AT THE OFFICE FOR THE OFFICIALS

THE best refereeing performances are the ones that you don’t really notice. That wasn’t the case for Steven McLean, though.

This was an erratic showing from the whistler as niggling moments saw the game needlessly stopped and big calls were wrongly made.

The first he had to deal with came after just seven minutes as Darren McGregor clashed with Alfredo Morelos. The defender clearly put his arm out across Morelos’ face and caught him and he was extremely fortunate to only receive a booking. It could easily have been a red.

The Colombian later saw strong penalty appeals waved away, while a promising attack was brought to a premature end by an errant offside flag.

McLean did his best to upset the home fans as well and Andy Halliday should have been booked for a tug on McNulty as the striker burst forward.