Lindsay Herron reports from Ibrox

WALTER SMITH suffered his first home defeat of the season as Hibs plundered a victory with a set-piece.

Rangers had most of the match but lacked a cutting edge when it mattered and they were undone from a corner in 60 minutes.

Filipe Morais swung the ball over from the left and David Murphy got in front of Allan McGregor to flick a header into the net.

To add insult to injury, Murphy headed off the line from a Davie Weir effort in the final moments as Rangers tried to salvage something from the game.

It's clearly a blow to the Light Blues whose European exertions may well have contributed but in the end they did not really click.

The Kings of Lyon were broken up as Walter Smith brought back Kris Boyd, Charlie Adam and Stevie Whittaker into his starting line-up which is indicative of the demands on the players this season.

However, the interesting aspect was that Brahim Hemdani retained his slot having not appeared in a domestic match since day one of the SPL season at Inverness and that was indicative of his performance in France.

His inclusion meant a more forward position for Barry Ferguson playing behind Boyd and it's a tactic that Walter Smith has used regularly.

Given Hibs' excellent start to this season, it was always going to be an afternoon where Rangers would have to work hard for anything they were going to get - and so it proved.

Rangers had the better chances in the first half. Indeed Hibs didn't have any to speak of.

Boyd headed over the top from Charlie Adam's quick free kick in eight minutes after Brian Kerr had fouled Adam.

Then in 16 minutes Ferguson latched onto a clever chest-down from Hemdani after Hutton had played the ball forward and tried to find the right corner with his left foot but pulled his shot wide.

Boyd is often criticised for his lack of link-up play but the prolific striker neatly set up Adam in 29 minutes only for the young midfielder to shoot over the top, albeit under pressure.

Then Boyd slid a great pass through for Ferguson in 41 minutes but Hibs keeper Yves Kalamby was alert enough to get there first and thump it clear.

In first half injury time Adam might have broken through when Hibs failed to clear Whittaker's cross but his measured chip for the top right corner was just too high.

The power running of Hutton had been a feature of the first half and it was a surge forward in 49 minutes which gave Rangers an opportunity to make something count from a set piece.

Fletcher fouled the Rangers right back about six yards short of the box. Ferguson and Thomson worked the ball short for Boyd and his drive went through the wall but Kalamby made an excellent save.

The Hibs keeper came to the rescue again in 58 minutes when he brilliantly pushed Adam's tight angled shot past for a corner.

Rangers could make nothing of it and they were stunned in 60 minutes when they lost a goal from a corner.

Substitute Filipe Morais swun the ball over from the left and full back David Murphy got in front of Allan McGregor to flick a header into the net.

Walter Smith decided changes were needed and the former Hibs pair of Thomson and Whittaker were withdrawn with McCulloch and Naismith taking over.

Rangers thought they had a penalty when Rob Jones appeared to handle Boyd's knock down but Kenny Clark insisted the Hibs captain used his chest.

There was another free kick opportunity in 78 minutes when Adam flighted the ball to the back post and Cuellar headed down but Davie Weir just could not get on the end of it, agonisingly slicing it wide from three yards out.

Daniel Cousin was sent on for Boyd as Rangers fought to get something in the final stages but Hibs held firm.

The Light Blues battled like lions but Murphy headed off the line after Weir flicked the ball on then Kalamby pushed Weir's header past the post in the final minute.

However, Rangers had to face the reality of defeat.