Ryan Jack happy the handbrake came off after Rangers’ slow start against Hibs

Ryan Jack was glad Rangers eventually started motoring against Hibernian at Ibrox on Thursday night after stalling in the opening half of Michael Beale’s first competitive game as boss.

Hibs stunned an expectant home crowd after only eight minutes when Ryan Porteous – linked with a move to the Light Blues – headed the visitors in front from a corner.

And although Gers attacker Fashion Sakala levelled in the 15th minute, Hibs striker Kevin Nisbet, back for the first time since February following a knee injury, restored the lead almost immediately with a confident finish past goalkeeper Allan McGregor to give his side a deserved half-time advantage.

However, Rangers showed a marked improvement in the second half and midfielder Jack levelled in the 58th minute from close range.

Striker Alfredo Morelos then grabbed what turned out to the winner four minutes later following nifty footwork by Malik Tillman and the home side ended an entertaining cinch Premiership match in control to take them to within six points of leaders Celtic.

“The second half was the way we wanted to look,” Jack told Rangers TV.

“The thing that was said before the game, that sticks in my mind, was just play with the handbrake off, everyone at it, giving 100 per cent, forward runs, playing close together, combination play.

“I don’t really think we got going on that side of it the first half.

“It was not really us in the way we want to look and the way we want to play, a bit sloppy and slow in possession. The goals we concede at this level is not good enough and we should look over that in the next couple of days and address it.

“But the second half we definitely did (get going) and you saw the goals we scored and obviously getting the three points is massive, for the first game back and in front of our crowd as well.

“Team spirit is massive in football, especially when you go behind at home and the crowd are demanding more, and rightly so, and at half-time we were demanding more of ourselves, the staff was demanding more of us.

“It showed a lot of character and togetherness that we managed to get through the game and get the three points.”