There was purpose and precision about the Light Blues, there was acurracy and class in their passing and there was a clinical nature about their finishing in the first half. In essence it was all too much for Hibs, who had proved such difficult opponents in the CIS Cup at Easter Road 17 days ago.
But they lost all of these qualities after the break and if Hibs had been able to supply a cutting edge to their aggressive play there might have been a much different ourtcome.
Few could have predicted how this match would pan out because Rangers swarmed all over Hibs in the early moments and it was of little surprise that their attacking play produced a goal after 10 minutes.
Mols had shot wide in the first minute, Colgan blocked Arveladze’s shot after Ross had crossed from the right in six minutes and Amoruso headed Arteta’s corner over the bar in eight minutes. The men from Leith seemed fortunate to survive.
There was little they could do, however, two minutes later as Rangers roared in front with an excellent goal which warmed the Ibrox crowd.
Arveladze was the architect with a terrific ball wide to Fernando Ricksen who had made a superb overlap on the right side. October’s player of the month drove over the ideal low cross and Mols smashed the ball into the net off the underside of the crossbar to claim his third goal in four games.
Rangers should have gone two ahead in 22 minutes when Mikel Arteta showed all of his considerable ability to leave Craig James for dead on the left side of the box. The Spaniard whipped over a cross which Nick Colgan dropped at the feet of Claudio Caniggia.
The 35-year-old Argentinian just had to stick out his foot, it seemed, and the ball would find the net but he somehow diverted it over the top and the chance was lost.
Mols thought he had scored his second goal of the game in 27 minutes when Arveladze played him in and he skipped past Colgan before slotting the ball in the net but referee Mike McCurry blew for offside.
Rangers had the ball in the net again in 31 minutes when Caniggia made a superb, twisting run down the left side. He was sent tumbling to the turf just outside the box but the ball broke to Shota who danced away from Colgan and finished with his left foot.
However, McCurry had halted the play when he should have played the advantage.
It was frustrating for Rangers but they got the second goal they deserved three minutes later and it was a lovely bit of skill which brought it all about.
Ferguson picked out Ricksen superbly with a cute pass and suddenly the Dutchman had a clear sight of goal coming in from the right side. Ricksen drove the ball low and Colgan made a great block then the Hibs keeper blocked Mols’ shot but Arveladze pounced to flick the ball into the net with the sole of his right boot.
At this stage the game looked well and truly won but a lapse in concentration just before half-time change the whole nature of the game.
Nick Colgan’s lenthy kick out was allowed to get all the way to Tom McManus who burst into the Rangers box and had the presence of mind to lift the ball over Stefan Klos to stun the Ibrox crowd and haul Hibs right back into the game.
The Edinburgh side were a totally different proposition as a result in the second half and they made Rangers really sweat. Indeed it was probably the most uncomfortable 45 minutes Rangers have endured at Ibrox this season.
Hibs fought like tigers to get back into the game and at the same time Rangers seemed to lose all of the good habits they had developed in the first half.
Klos had to be at his best in 50 minutes when Gary O’Connor got on the end of a great ball for Jarko Wiss and hammered a right foot shot which the German keeper pushed over the bar, throwing himself to his left.
That was about the only scoring opportunity Hibs had, but they enjoyed a vast amount of possession and certainly caused some moments of concern.
There was more gloom with firstly Amoruso and then Arteta had to go off with calf and back injuries respectively and it all became a bit nervy in the cold November air.
In the end, Rangers clung on to claim the points which keeps them top but their second half performance left a lot to be desired.
RANGERS: Klos; Ross, Malcolm, Amoruso (Konterman 52), Numan; Ricksen, Ferguson, Arteta (Hughes 58); Caniggia (Latapy 67), Mols, Arveladze.
Subs not used: McGregor, Dodds.
HIBS: Colgan; Smith, Fenwick, Zambernardi, James; McManus, Brebner, Wiss, Orman (O’Neil 67); O’Connor (Luna 62), Paatelainen.
Subs not used: Caig, Jack, Doumbe.
Bookings: James (29), McManus (49), Paatelainen (56), Luna (75), Zambernardi (77)
Ref: Mike McCurry.
Att: 48,798.
Man of the match: Maurice Ross.