Hibs 2 Rangers 6
Mark Warburton's tenure as Rangers boss began with a convincing if not water-tight 6-2 win over Hibernian in their Petrofac Training Cup first-round at Easter Road.
Much of the attention surrounded Hibs star Scott Allan, who has been the subject of two failed bids by the Ibrox club - the highest of ÂŁ225,000 - but he started on the bench and came on in the second-half when the home side were chasing the game.
Before that it was fellow midfielder Sam Stanton who gave the home side the lead in the 13th minute only for Rangers right-back James Tavernier - one of seven new signings who started for the visitors - to level with a wonderful free-kick in the 38th minute.
Gers striker Martyn Waghorn helped himself to a double with a goal close to either side of the interval and although Hibs forward Jason Cumming pulled a goal back from the spot in the 61st minute Andy Halliday netted for Rangers moments later.
In a breathtaking finale, Light Blues' substitute Kenny Miller scored twice late on to further please boss Warburton who, in his first competitive game in charge, gave starts to goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, Jason Holt, Danny Wilson, Rob Kiernan, Tavernier, Halliday and Waghorn.
A much more familiar-looking Hibs side started well and when the Ibrox defence switched off, Stanton moved into space and drilled the ball low past Foderingham and into the corner of the net.
Dominique Malonga went off to be replaced by Lewis Allan in the 24th minute but Alan Stubbs' men remained on top and the more threatening.
The visitors, however, took the opportunity they were given when defender Paul Hanlon hauled down Jason Holt just outside the box, Tavernier stepping up to curl his free-kick into the top corner past Hibees' keeper Mark Oxley.
A minute before the break Holt took a pass from Tavernier and his cut-back provided Waghorn with an easy tap-in from close range and somehow the home side found themselves behind at the interval.
There was barely a minute played in the second half when Waghorn ran on to a long through ball and from what looked like an impossible angle, squeezed his shot past Oxley, who ought to have done better.
Allan replaced Jordon Forster in the 54th minute, bizarrely to cheers from both sets of fans, before Cummings netted with a penalty after he had been felled by Wilson.
The scoring was far from finished.
Two minutes later Halliday's curling shot from outside the box beat Oxley and went in off the bar, restoring the Glasgow side's advantage.
The game raged from end to end but in the 76th minute Miller, on for David Templeton, converted a cross from fellow substitute Nicky Clark, on for Waghorn, before scoring a similar goal from Barrie McKay's cross, moments after Hibs skipper David Gray was ruled offside after heading in.
There is much still do for Warburton but the victory, if nothing else, will put down a marker for the upcoming Championship race where Hibs will look for improvement, with or without Allan.