New era but old failings as Rangers blow their Hampden audition in front of Giovanni van Bronckhorst

There will be no Old Firm showdown for Giovanni van Bronckhorst next month. Instead, it is Jack Ross and Hibernian who will aim to overcome Celtic and lift the silverware.

Rangers supporters filled the air with orange smoke and unfurled that message to greet van Bronckhorst as he took his seat in the stands. This was not how he envisaged his first match back in Glasgow to unfold.

A Martin Boyle hat-trick exposed Rangers’ defensive deficiencies and earned Hibernian a return ticket to face Celtic. It was no more than they merited on a memorable afternoon for the travelling support – down in number but high in spirits – that had made the journey.

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For Ross, this was a day to savour. For van Bronckhorst, it was one that raised many questions about the squad that he has inherited from Steven Gerrard.

He now has just a couple of days to solve those issues ahead of the decisive Europa League clash with Sparta Prague on Thursday night. Rangers can ill-afford to exit another competition with days of his return to Ibrox.

The problems should not have come as a surprise to the Dutchman, at least. This is a side which has shown a shambolic approach to defending for some time now and the lack of fluidity in the final third has threatened to cost them for just as long.

Van Bronckhorst has a squad capable of much better, but it is not one that will be winning the League Cup this term. That honour lies with their conquerors here and their Old Firm rivals.

Rangers have become adept at shooting themselves in the foot for most of the campaign. This time, it was more akin to blasting off both legs.

The trait of falling behind and making life harder than it needed to be permeated the final weeks of Gerrard’s reign. More often than not his side were able to recover, but there was always the danger that one day the task would be insurmountable.

When Scott Arfield reduced the arrears with just a couple of minutes of the first half remaining – the midfielder finishing well after Ryan Porteous skewed a clearance in the area – there was hope for Rangers. It was faint, and ultimately forlorn.

Before that moment, there were no positives to take for van Bronckhorst as he watched on alongside the Ibrox board. On the touchline, interim boss David McCallum must have cursed his luck as he was left in the firing line.

The least said about Rangers’ defending the better. That should take nothing away from Hibernian, and Boyle in particular, however, as they stormed into a commanding position.

The first arrived after just nine minutes. Of all the soft goals that Rangers have conceded in recent weeks, this was up there with the most inexcusable.

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A corner from Joe Newell wasn’t met, or challenged for, by anyone in blue as Porteous beat Leon Balogun to the ball and Allan McGregor stayed on his line.

Tavernier’s part in proceeding was hard to fathom as he got an inadvertent assist and the ball bounced into the path of Boyle. From a couple of yards, the finish was emphatic and Hibernian were off and running.

That situation was not unfamiliar to Rangers this term, but going a second goal behind was. When that happened, the road back was a long one for the champions.

Boyle had to work harder for his goal on this occasion but that didn’t bother him as he produced a fine run to meet a Kevin Nisbet pass. Balogun was spun too easily in the build-up and Tavernier couldn’t get close enough to Boyle.

The end result was as expected. A fine finish across McGregor moved Hibernian further ahead and Ross must already have been dreaming of a place in the final.

When the lead was extended even further, his side were all-but there. From 12 yards, Boyle beat McGregor with a powerful penalty that he had won after being bundled over by Steven Davis.

Rangers had created a handful of chances in between each of the goals but their lamentable defensive efforts undermined their attacking intentions. It was error-strewn, it was unacceptable.

Matt Macey saved from Alfredo Morelos as Rangers attempted to come back from one down, while he parried an Arfield drive just minutes after Boyle’s second. Joe Aribo fired over on the angle and Arfield came close after spinning in the area but those moments were ultimately meaningless as Rangers capitulated at the other end.

Had headers from Balogun and Connor Goldson found the net just before the break, it would have changed the complexion of the tie and altered the respective team talks. As it stood, Rangers had more to do in 45 minutes than they had at any stage this term.

With half an hour remaining, the challenge was just as ominous for Rangers, but McCallum’s side had at least shown that they were prepared to meet it rather than wilt at Hampden.

Rangers were ragged in the final third. As passes were misplaced and wrong options taken, they failed to convert their possession into chances, never mind the goal that would have raised real doubts in green and white minds.

An ineffective evening from Ryan Kent came to a premature end as he was replaced by Fashion Sakala – a move that earned a mixed reaction amongst supporters - and Rangers would spend large swathes on the front foot. They did so, of course, knowing that one error would end their cup campaign.

The subsequent switches from McCallum raised an eyebrow, too, as Ianis Hagi and Ryan Jack were introduced at the expense of Arfield and Aribo. Rangers now had a central three more adept at defending a lead than chasing one down.

Aside from his goal, Arfield had at least offered energy and a different threat, while Aribo was the standout performer, not that it was hard, as he caused Hibernian more issues than anyone else in blue. The clock was now as big an issue as the scoreboard.

A strike from Jack was deflected just wide. From the corner that followed, Balogun should have done better with header as one of their few clear chances was spurned.

When Goldson fired over from six yards out, that was that for Rangers. There was no way back as some supporters started to head for the exits.

The five added minutes only allowed Hibernian extra time to celebrate. Ross and his side were not going to be denied and it is they who have a future at Hampden.