With Rangers struggling to contain a lively Hibs side, the Light Blues skipper once again led by example both in defence and attack and grabbed the opening goal that paved the way for a hard-fought victory.
Claudio Caniggia added a second late on leaving home boss Bobby Williamson wondering whether his side will ever get one over on their Glasgow rivals.
For Alex McLeish the only fact that matter was that his team was still three points clear at the top of the table but it was not an easy win by any means.
It was chilly and by the sea but that was as far as comparisons with Arbroath went as Rangers were thoroughly tested by a Hibs side buoyed by their Scottish Cup win at Tannadice four days earlier.
Missing the stature and vocal presence of Lorenzo Amoruso in the heart of the defence, the blonde pairing of Garry O’Connor and Tam McManus looked a potent threat up front for the home side and Rangers looked ill at ease as they tried to match their darting runs.
The bleach-blonde McManus signalled his ambitions as early as the eighth minute as he capitalised on Bob Malcolm’s hesitancy to slide a dangerous pass across the face of the goal that led to all sorts of panic in front of Stefan Klos before Ian Murray sliced a shot wide.
O’Connor and McManus both then had shots blocked in the goalmouth before Alan Orman dissected the Rangers defence with a precise cross that Mo Ross hacked away from the danger area.
The Hibs support and bench howled for a penalty when O’Connor – making his first league start since breaking his foot at Ibrox in November – clashed with Craig Moore in the box but ref Kenny Clark was not impressed and waved play on.
Following the stroll against Arbroath, this was becoming an almighty struggle for Rangers and chances were few for the visitors in the opening spell.
Ferguson looked threatening from set-pieces and curled two similar free kicks over from just outside the box but in open play a goal did not look very likely.
Neil McCann then put over an excellent ball that Shota Arevaldze contrived to head directly into the ground and it bounced harmlessly over.
It looked like being one of those nights for Alex McLeish’s side and another chance passed them by when Moore flung himself at Ricksen’s corner kick but could not keep the header down.
Again it was up to captain Ferguson to lead the way as he fired Rangers into an unlikely lead just short of the hour mark.
Ricksen fed de Boer and he slid a pass through to the Rangers skipper who held off the challenge of Paul Fenwick to arc a shot high past Colgan.
It was certainly against the run of play but it mattered not to Ferguson as he ran to the Rangers support congregated in the South Stand.
Stung by the blow Hibs pushed forward once more and Klos was asked to perform his first save of the night to keep out Grant Brebner’s diving header.
The match became feisty and both sides picked up a pair of bookings before a late scramble in the Rangers box ended with Klos diving on the ball like a quarterback to prevent McManus from blasting into an empty net.
The Light Blues made the game safe with five minutes remaining with a second goal that killed off Hibs’ stiff resistance.
Arveladze back-heeled to McCann who rolled the ball across the face of the goal leaving substitute Caniggia with a tap-in.
As Hibs frustration boiled over, Gary Smith was sent off for two late bookings – echoing events of the last time the sides met at Easter Road.
It wasn’t pretty or overly convincing but the result could prove vital come the end of the season.
Hibernian: Colgan; Smith, Fenwick (O’Neil 69), Zambernardi; Orman, Townsley, Brebner, Wiss, Murray; O’Connor, McManus
Subs not used: Westwater, Jack, Doumbe, Reid
Bookings: Fenwick (52), Orman (75)
Sent off: Smith (90)
Rangers: Klos; Ross, Malcolm, Moore, Numan; Arveladze, Ricksen, Ferguson, McCann; Mols (Caniggia 69), de Boer
Subs not used: McGregor, Maclean, Konterman, Nerlinger
Bookings: Numan (46), Caniggia (74)
Referee: Kenny Clark
Man of the Match: Barry Ferguson