Motherwell 0-2 Rangers

Emerson Hyndman scored his first Rangers goal

Rangers beat Motherwell for a second time in a week to move back into second place in the Premiership after both sides had a man sent off early on.

The first red card came after only five minutes, when Michael O'Halloran caught Well's Carl McHugh high on his thigh.

Scott McDonald passed up a great chance to put the home side ahead before being sent off for lunging into a challenge on Miller with only 27 minutes gone.

Miller recovered to open the scoring and Emerson Hyndman fired the second.

It was veteran striker Miller's third goal within a week - and fourth of the season - against the Steelmen, his late double having won their Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox.

And Rangers' fourth win this term over Motherwell took them two points above Aberdeen, who had moved into second place after their win over Dundee on Friday, as their hosts missed a chance to jump into the top six.

Early sending off

O'Halloran was sent off for a foul on McHugh

O'Halloran has been linked with a loan move to Motherwell, but there was certainly no spirit of camaraderie with his challenge on McHugh.

It was high, it was unnecessary and it was painful - both for McHugh and for Rangers, who were rightly reduced to 10 men by referee Willie Collum.

Motherwell had begun brightly and the extra man advantage encouraged them further as McDonald and Moult looked for openings.

McDonald should have scored in the 22nd minute, when Chris Cadden crossed, but he failed to connect in the six-yard box with the goal gaping.

Painful red card for McDonald

It would get much worse for McDonald, who then went in hard on Miller. The Australian got the ball, but it was also a reckless lunge.

The force of the follow through connected painfully with Miller's ankle and the former Scotland striker went down in a heap.

Both dugouts erupted with their competing agendas, but the view of referee Willie Collum was clear as he waded into the melee and the red card emerged again from his pocket.

Motherwell certainly felt the impact of losing McDonald's influence as first Hyndman and then Miller tested Craig Samson in the Motherwell goal.

McDonald (right) was shocked to be shown a red card

Relentless Rangers win through

Rangers raced out of the blocks after half-time and an incredible combination of defending from Samson, Steven Hammell and then Richard Tait cleared a Lee Wallace effort off the line.

At the other end, Louis Moult lashed in a shot that was deflected just over the bar, but the momentum began to swing Rangers' way.

Eventually, the away side made the breakthrough. Wallace motored forward with characteristic menace into the box and crossed for Martin Waghorn, who missed his chance, but the ball fell kindly to Miller and he fired home from close range.

Rangers secured the points when Hyndman picked the ball up on the edge of the box and the on-loan Bournemouth midfielder was composure personified as he lashed the ball home.

Miller netted his fourth goal in three games

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee: "The ball gets away from him [McDonald] but he toes it away. His foot's on the ground, it's not a sending-off.

"I don't have any fears over the ref - he made a decision. Seeing it again, it's probably a poor decision, but it's not done to even things up, he thinks it's a sending-off.

"After we went down to 10 men, we found it difficult to create chances and didn't make enough chances after that to win the game.

"In the end, they've got the goal, they are a good team, they pass the ball better than us, but I have to say I don't think we're far away - we're not that bad a team.

"We've got a lot going for us. We've got a great spirit, a great energy, determination about us and I've told them we have to accept we got beat by a team that passed the ball better."

Rangers manager Mark Warburton: "I thought for four or five minutes after the sending-off we lost our composure and gave the ball away cheaply.

"But we quickly regained it. We had good passages of play. The midfield three were finding blue shirts and once it evened up I thought we dominated.

"We spoke at half-time about being braver, breaking lines, testing the keeper. Second half we were very dominant, I don't think Wes Foderingham had a save to make while we got the rewards. I thought it was a good victory.

"I asked Michael just now and there's no intent, I am sure of that. But, if you catch him, you catch him."