Rangers 1-1 Motherwell

Joe Garner squeezed home an equaliser for Rangers

Rangers came from behind to draw with Motherwell, leaving Pedro Caixinha's side 10 points behind second-placed Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.

Louis Moult nodded in Chris Cadden's corner to put Well ahead early on.

Rangers made three changes at the break and substitute Joe Garner fired the hosts level after the hour mark, netting from a tight angle.

Keeper Wes Foderingham denied Ryan Bowman and Scott McDonald as Well pressed and Garner had an effort saved.

With the Dons winning 7-0 at Dundee on Friday, Rangers have eight games left - including two meetings with Aberdeen - to try to beat Derek McInnes' side to the runners-up spot.

Well had won during Stephen Robinson's spell as interim manager but, after two straight defeats, claimed their first point since he was confirmed as Mark McGhee's full-time replacement.

However, it could have been more for the visiting side after a first half in which they carved out several chances, with Robinson's side also dangerous after the break.

Moult's header was his 15th goal this season

Well on top

Moult's headed opener began a dominant spell for the Fir Park side as Rangers struggled to recapture the form of their 4-0 win in Caixinha's first match in charge against Hamilton Academical.

Moult fired another two efforts off target and McDonald shot too high.

And, after Garner's leveller, the assistant referee's flag was raised as Moult had the ball in the net, with Bowman then denied by Foderingham.

The goalkeeper foiled Moult and McDonald with great stops in quick succession and Rob Kiernan made an important clearance when Bowman threatened to get on the end of a Cadden cross.

Changes pay off for Rangers

The first half was a frustrating one for the hosts, with Martyn Waghorn booked for simulation and later sending a free-kick wide.

Defenders Lee Hodson, Clint Hill and Lee Wallace did not reappear for the second half and midfielder Andy Halliday, winger Michael O'Halloran and forward Garner all came on.

Garner marked his appearance with a goal, sliding in to meet Kenny Miller's cross and forcing it past keeper Craig Samson.

But Samson later denied Garner and also Miller.

Precious win elusive for both sides

Both managers now have midweek matches to prepare for

Emerson Hyndman, who scored his first Rangers goal against Motherwell in January, fired over from close range in stoppage time, all but confirming the draw.

The result keeps tenth-placed Well three points above Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who are now bottom, but Hamilton's win over St Johnstone takes Accies to within a point of Robinson's side, who host their Lanarkshire rivals on Wednesday.

Rangers visit Kilmarnock the same night and by then could be 13 points behind Aberdeen if the Dons beat Inverness on Tuesday.

The sides finishing second and third will enter the Europa League play-offs while, at the other end of the table, the bottom placed side will be relegated with the second bottom team meeting a Championship side in the Premiership play-off final.

Reaction

Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha: "Motherwell were stronger than us, they were strong on the long balls and very strong on the second balls - if we won one second ball, we were lucky.

"So we tried to make two changes at half-time. But we also saw then that both Lees were struggling - Lee Wallace wasn't 100 per cent and tried his very best, and Lee Hodson arrived with a high fever. Clint also felt his hamstring.

"So we were forced not only to change the mindset but then change everything else.

"Football can be like this and I have to praise my players for the second half - players out of position, like Jon [Toral] at centre-half when he has never played there before, but they did a fantastic job and we could, with a little luck, have had a different result."

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson: "Going into the game we would have been happy with a point but after our performance today we're very disappointed.

"There's not many teams come to Ibrox and create that amount of chances.

"I read in Pedro's press interviews that we were going to lie back and we were coming to get beat, that was never the case for us.

"We played three up front all the time and were tactically really good. The boys followed it to the letter."