Ross County 1-2 Rangers

Rangers moved back into second place in the Premiership with goals from Daniel Candeias and Jason Cummings adding to the woes of bottom side Ross County.

Goalkeeper Aaron McCarey failed to keep out a shot from Candeias as the visitors dominated the first half.

A strike from substitute Cummings then found the bottom corner via a slight deflection on 82 minutes.

A late penalty from David Ngog could not prevent County from slipping six points adrift.

The spot-kick decision was bizarre, with an effort from Ngog blasting against the hand of Russell Martin from point-blank range.

Not long before Cummings' goal, the hosts had what looked like a much stronger claim for a penalty waved away when David Bates stopped a Ross Draper header with his arm.

From the start, Rangers' movement and passing was impressive. James Tavernier on the right and Declan John on the left terrorised a frantic County's defence. Candeias and Bates had early chances - only the post preventing the latter from giving the men in red, the lead.

New signing Greg Docherty enjoyed a winning start to his Rangers career, coming on as a second-half replacement

McCarey should have done much better when the inevitable breakthrough did come on 21 minutes.

Candeias let fly from distance but, instead of blocking or parrying the shot, the goalkeeper watched it disappear through his fingers and into the net. It was a bad blunder and from it Rangers smelled blood.

They swarmed forward and Alfredo Morelos fizzed a shot just wide after skipping through on goal unchallenged. A second goal looked a certainty.

With the Highland rain now pouring, Rangers continued to turn the screw and Tavernier was at the centre of all that was good for the visitors. From the full-back's cross, Jamie Murphy's glancing header was superbly pushed away by McCarey.

Ross County started the second half with a little more drive and belief but again it was Rangers who were more purposeful. This time Josh Windass twisted and turned impressively down the left on the angle but his shot was stopped by McCarey on the stretch.

The home side's jittery nerves had settled and they ventured over the halfway line with more regularity.

With Rangers struggling to find their earlier fluency, County started to believe and they pressed with a renewed purpose.

There were loud cries for a penalty when Bates blocked with his arm. No spot kick but further evidence of a second-half turnaround in performance.

Cummings fires Rangers into a 2-0 lead shortly after coming off the bench

However, Rangers' new boy Cummings entered the stage and soon killed off any home hopes of a comeback.

The former Hibs man was on the pitch for a mere five minutes before he burst through on goal and fired a shot low past McCarey, with the help of a Harry Souttar deflection.

A mini pitch invasion of celebrating Rangers fans followed; they knew it was game over and, like their new hero, they were loving it.

In the closing stages referee Steven McLean did point to the spot, with Martin dazed and confused by the ferocity of Ngog's shot and the penalty award.

The former Liverpool striker converted with real composure to tease the possibility of a grandstand finish that never materialised.

So, despite that spirited second half fight back, the misery continues for County boss Owen Coyle, who has gone 11 league games without a victory. He's a man with enough experience to know that serious questions about his position could be coming.

For Rangers, it was a third win in a four-match unbeaten sequence as they nudge ahead of Aberdeen on goal difference and stay 11 points behind leaders Celtic.