Scottish Cup Final: 1978/79 Rangers vs Hibs

Just three days away from the club's first appearance in a Scottish Cup final since 2009, here ar Got The Battle Fever we've decided to take a look back at the only previous Scottish Cup final meeting between Rangers & Hibs back in May 1979.

With Rangers battling Celtic and Dundee United for the Scottish Premier Division title the Scottish Cup final was something of a distraction John Greig's side could have done without. Coming up against Eddie Turnbull's Hibs at the National Stadium, the game itself was largely a non-event for the first seventy minutes before both sides had a number of opportunities to secure the trophy and avoid, as was the way at the time, a replay. Derek Parlane crashed a header off the bar and Gordon Smith was denied by a save Jim McArthur, the Hibs 'keeper, made more by luck than design. Neither side could break the deadlock and a replay was organised for the following midweek.

Herald Scotland

Arthur Duncan heads the Scottish Cup winning own goal past Jim McArthur

The replay wasn't any better. A second stalemate, this time including a 30 minute extra-time period, saw a half-full, rain-soaked Hampden go home for a second time in a matter of days with no winner of the Scottish Cup. Rangers again struggle to get into top gear against their Edinburgh opponents as a second replay looked more and more likely. Rangers' best chance again fell to Derek Parlane however Hibs' keeper McArthur was proving impossible to beat.

Twelve days after the first replay the sides met for a third time at Hampden and this time Hibs took an early lead. Derek Johnstone equalised for Rangers just three minutes before the interval. Johnstone then put the light blues in front with a goal just after the hour from Bobby Russell's cross. With just over ten minutes left Hibs won a "harsh" penalty and levelled the game at 2-2. Extra-time was on the cards for a second time.

Rangers finally found their rhythm in extra-time and Derek Parlane won, what was described as a "soft", penalty which Jim McArthur saved brilliantly from Alex Miller. Derek Johnstone then thought he'd scored a hat-trick before being ruled to have been offside. With only ten minutes left Rangers regained the lead. A Davie Cooper cross was headed in by Hibs defender Arthur Duncan to send the trophy back to Ibrox for the twenty-third time.