Often the site of pain and suffering in recent years, Rangers suddenly love Edinburgh.

For the second time under Michael Beale they found their swagger in Auld Reekie, finding top gear and easily putting Hibs to the sword.

At Tynecastle on Feburary 1st they had far too much for Hearts, and it was to be the same at the home of their great rivals, a few miles east in the port of Leith.

It should have been far more emphatic, truth be told, with many moments where Rangers' play broke down at the final hurdle. Six or seven wouldn't have been flattering.

And yet, it didn't always look like an easy win. Rangers were sloppy for the opening 10 minutes before a Connor Goldson own goal left them deservedly behind.

It acted like a shock to the system because the team looked suddenly electrified, full of purpose and threat, jolted to life. And from the moment James Tavernier crashed home a 12th-minute penalty, the result never looked in doubt.

There wasn't a single failure on the pitch. It was a truly excellent team performance and while you might think Antonio Colak's excellent double would propel him to headlines, it was Ryan Jack who grabbed this game by the throat and bent it to his will.

It was the midfielder's best performance in several years, crashing into challenges, using the ball with purpose and making clever interceptions. He was also a threat going forward, creating the crucial third for Fashion Sakala with a perfectly judged cushioned header back into the striker's path. The 31-year-old was simply everywhere and will have done his chances of a new contract no harm whatsoever. 

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Many think Rangers should cut a swathe through his injury-prone troops come the end of the season, but Beale would be cautioned not to throw the baby out with the bathwater with the Scotland midfielder. He's not going to play in every game, but his winning mentality and total understanding of the Scottish game still make him an incredibly useful squad member at the very least.

He wasn't alone in his excellence. Fellow midfielders Nico Raskin and Todd Cantwell already look like astute signings. Both are technically adept but have an added level of grit and graft that will stand them in good stead with the support and the demands of Scottish football in general. Both looked fitter tonight than in recent games and there was more than a suggestion their best is yet to come.

Further forward, Colak was terrific and will grab headlines but Sakala is a marvellously bonkers player.  If you remain somewhat bamboozled as to what he's going to do next, imagine what his marker feels like. The Zambian has an innate ability to cause chaos. He's not a complete footballer by any means and his rough edges can be infuriating but in a team that has struggled for goals, there's no doubting his ability to both hit the net and cause so much disruption others have better opportunities.

So Rangers depart with three deserved points and the fans with hope that better days may be ahead. If the spirit of Edinburgh away days can be summoned once again, you suspect that hope could yet become reality.