Kilmarnock 0-0 Rangers: James Tavernier has penalty saved as Scottish Cup tie goes to replay
- Published
Kilmarnock 0-0 Rangers: James Tavernier's spot kick is saved
James Tavernier had a penalty saved as Rangers had to settle for a goalless Scottish Cup draw at Kilmarnock.
Kirk Broadfoot conceded the spot kick when he handled Scott Arfield's shot, but Killie goalkeeper Dan Bachmann deflected it clear.
Joe Worrall headed wide from close range and Jermain Defoe drove a shot across goal as Rangers dominated the second half.
Youssouf Mulumbu also had an effort cleared off the line for Kilmarnock.
The two sides will have to do it all again at Ibrox on Wednesday, 20 February for a place in the quarter-finals.
The result means Steve Clarke has only lost two of his eight games as Kilmarnock manager against Rangers.
Rangers appear to miss Morelos
Only once in the last nine matches between these two has more than one goal separated the sides. So it was always likely to be the most tightly competitive of cup ties.
Which means you need to take your chances when they come. The frustration for Rangers will be that they didn't.
Tavernier's penalty afforded the perfect opportunity, but goalkeeper Bachmann stood firm as the ball was fired straight down the middle.
Pre-match, the question was 'would the suspended Alfredo Morelos be missed?'
When Defoe was played in on goal with 10 minutes left he dragged his effort wide and another clear-cut chance went a-begging.
Rangers controlled more of the match the longer it went on and will fancy their chances in the replay.
However, it's 81 years since Killie last beat Rangers in the Scottish Cup. April 1938, when Jimmy McGrory was manager. That match was at Ibrox too. What chance of history repeating itself?
'We've still got full trust in Tav' - reaction
Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke told BBC Sportsound: "It was pretty even, two good teams who went at it from the first minute until the last, fully committed.
"You can see that any time we come up against the big teams, we can give them a game. I think the first goal would have been crucial tonight, if we would have got that then it might have been a different story."
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard told Premier Sports: "When you take into consideration we had a war at Aberdeen on Wednesday and the travel, I'm satisfied.
"We've still got full trust in Tav. He's been brilliant for us in terms of the numbers of what he's delivered and contributed this season.
"The keeper's made a good save, it wasn't to be; it would have been a good time to score and we would have maybe built on that but it wasn't to be."