Rangers left it late before finally getting their revenge over Hibs as Kemar Roofe's penalty moved them seven points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst's winning run looked set to be brought to a halt until substitute Roofe - in his first appearance in almost a month - kept his cool to convert from the spot and make it three victories on the spin.
It came after Ryan Porteous brought down Ryan Kent six minutes from times and John Beaton had no hesitation in pointing to the spot with Roofe tucking it away.
The game was tame in comparison to the usual feisty meetings between these two.
Neither side made any real chance in the opening quarter of an hour with a Ianis Hagi effort off target and Steven Davis shot easily saved by Matt Macey the only two.
Allan McGregor was forced to gather a Martin Boyle shot at the second attempt as the Hibs talisman looked to pick up where he left off against the Light Blues at Hampden.
Macey then pushed away a Joe Aribo cross-cum-shot and safely held a Connor Goldson header after the defender got up well at a corner.
The game wasn’t played at anywhere near the tempo predicted and there was a severe lack of quality in the first half.
Yet Rangers still should have gone in ahead at the break only for Alfredo Morelos to miss the one big chance of the half when the Colombian sent a free header wide after a brilliant cross from Aribo.
The hope was the second half would seen an improvement - it couldn’t get any worse - and Borna Barisic blocked a Boyle effort while Ryan Kent sent an effort just over.
Kent was then denied by an excellent block from Ryan Porteous who headed the winger’s driven effort over.
Van Bronckhorst had to change it and he did just after the hour with Kemar Roofe and Scott Arfield on for Morelos and Davis.
And Roofe was the hero of the night as he stepped up with that pressure penalty kick with six minutes left to stroke home.
Here's three talking points from Easter Road:
Porteous in the thick of it
When these two teams clash then you can almost guarantee that Ryan Porteous is going to be right in the middle of the action.
The stopper trolled former Light Blues boss Steven Gerrard with his “Do we look happy?” comment after the Premier Sports Cup win at Hampden.
And there have been a string of other incidents involving Porteous including that tackle on Joe Aribo at Ibrox earlier this season described by Gerrard as a potential “leg breaker”.
Porteous relishes going up against Alfredo Morelos and he went down after a push in the back from the Colombian but referee John Beaton allowed advantage to be played.
There was another full blooded - and fair - challenge to win the ball from Ryan Kent and he just looks like he enjoys this fixture more than most.
And he made a brilliant defensive block to head a shot over the crossbar which looked to be heading in.
But his final act was to concede the late penalty that handed the visitors all three points.
Gio’s Scott to change midfield
Scott Arfield was the only change from the starting line up against Livingston and it has to be said that it showed.
Rangers missed his dynamism with Glen Kamara and Steven Davis similar players in the engine room who don’t offer the same going forward.
Arfield did come on just after the hour and it was no real surprise to see Northern Ireland captain Davis given the hook and he made a difference.
This was a performance that at times was too similar to the pedestrian displays under Steven Gerrard that caused so much frustration.
But they got the result that was needed in the end and that was all that mattered.
Miss wasn’t Alf bad
Alfredo Morelos has scored more goals against Hibs than any other opposition - eight in 14 appearances for the Colombian.
But he must still be wondering how he didn’t increase that tally after squandering a golden chance just before half-time.
Joe Aribo did brilliantly to pick him out with a cross from the right and Morelos got in the middle of two Hibs defenders only to send his close range header wide.
Morelos is judged on his goals but despite that glaring miss he produced an impressive enough performance on a night when so few turned up on either side.
That didn’t stop him getting the hook just after the hour mark in a double change as Kemar Roofe replaced him and made himself the hero.
