There was sunshine on Leith at last for Hibs as they lifted the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902 but the victory was marred by shocking scenes after the final whistle.
With their team ending their 114-year wait to lift the trophy thanks to captain David Gray’s injury-time winner, thousands of Hibees fans ran on to the pitch.
As the security staff at the national stadium lost control of the situation, some supporters sprinted over to the Rangers end to taunt their fans.
There was fighting on the pitch and some players seemed to be attacked. One of the crossbars was broken.
Mounted police eventually made their way on to the pitch but by then it was filled by Hibs supporters.
It was a shame that such a historic day for the Leith men should be marred in this manner.
As for the football, this was a final that was full of flaws and mistakes but all the more entertaining because of that.
The dodgy defending and bad decision-making left the game wide open.
The Edinburgh team had taken the lead on just three minutes through Anthony Stokes but Kenny Miller leveled for the Light Blues on 27 minutes.
However, Andy Halliday, a one-time season ticket holder at Ibrox, who hammered home a shot from 22 yards to give Hibs goalie Conrad Logan no chance.
Showing resolve the doubters didn’t think they had, the Hibees made it 2-2 on 80 minutes when Stokes headed home a corner at the near post.
Then came Gray’s winner in injury-time that sparked such chaos.
As the match kicked off, Hampden was absolutely packed for Scottish football’s showpiece occasion.
On just three minutes, the roof came off the Hibs end when they took a dramatic lead.
Remarkably, Stokes was allowed to run unimpeded towards the goal from the left of the box after picking up a pass from Jason Cummings.
With defender Rob Kiernan inexplicably standing off him, the on-loan Celtic man simply guided his low shot past keeper Wes Foderingham.
That was the last thing the Rangers supporters housed behind that goal expected.
The Ibrox men seemed to be paying the price for not having played for 20 days, while the Easter Road side seemed match-reacdy.
On 27 minutes, though, Rangers were level with a superbly-taken goal from Miller.
The cross from James Tavernier was perfect and the header from the former Scotland international was as well, giving keeper Logan no chance.
The Hibees came within a whisker of restoring their lead just a minute later when Stokes smashed a shot against the post from the edge of the box. The ball spun across the face of goal and eventually away from danger.
On 32 minutes, Barrie McKay’s corner from the right was headed on to the bar by an unmarked Miller as it became Rangers’ turn to strike the woodwork.
With the match in its 41st minute there was a trio of chances for Hibs as first Foderingham saved low from Stokes, then the goalie blocked Jason Cummings’ strike from close-range before Stokes headed wide at the back post.
It was a fittingly frantic finish to a pulsating first half.
The second period was five minutes old when Stokes stung Foderingham’s hands with a shot from distance that had to be turned around the post.
Both teams were once again looking good going forward but not so good at the back.
On 57 minutes, Martyn Waghorn headed wide after being picked out by a Miller cross but Rangers it wasn’t long before Rangers were ahead.
The hero was Halliday, a lifelong supporter of the Light Blues, who lashed the ball past a despairing Logan from 22 yards on 64 minutes to make it 2-1.
However, Hibs kept fighting and they equalised on 80 minutes.
It was a simple goal once again dogged by bad defending, with Stokes heading in at the near post after a corner was sent over from the right by sub Liam Henderson.
Stokes could have won it for Hibs but saw his angled drive saved by Foderingham but the winner did arrive in stoppage-time.
It was another delivery from Henderson from the right an up stepped captain Gray to bullet a header past Foderingham to send the Hibs fans into dreamland.
Attendance: 50,701.
Rangers: Foderingham, Tavernier, Kiernan, Wallace, Zelalem (Shiels 62), Miller, Halliday, McKay, Holt, Wilson, Waghorn (Clark 75). Subs not used: Bell, Law, Burt.
Hibs: Logan, Gray, Hanlon, Fontaine (Henderson 70), Fyvie, McGeouch, Stevenson, McGinn, McGregor, Stokes, Cummings (Keatings 65). Subs not used: Oxley, Bartley, Boyle, Gunnarsson, Dagnall.
Referee: Steven McLean.
