Motherwell inflicted a third consecutive home defeat on Rangers as two first-half strikes ensured interim manager Barry Ferguson endured a painful return to Ibrox.

Luke Armstrong and Tom Sparrow strikes delivered the Fir Park side just their second league win over Rangers in 61 attempts, the other coming at Ibrox last year.

There was real controversy late on, though, as Cyriel Dessers had a second ruled out for offside when pictures appeared inconclusive as to whether team-mate Danilo had touched the ball on its route through.

Expectation and positivity seemed to have risen in the home crowd ahead of kick-off, the fightback in the 4-2 win at Kilmarnock spurring hope of better times ahead in the season run in.

That was quickly obliterated as the visitors surged ahead.

It was a comedy of errors that initially unlocked the home side. Jack Butland gathered and looked to release Cyriel Dessers.

He lost it in a dangerous area, Dan Casey pounced, Butland spilled his tame effort allowing Armstrong the chance to net from close range.

The goal was initially ruled out for offside before being corrected by the VAR as the striker had timed his run perfectly.

Motherwell were playing very well and got in again when Callum Slattery escaped down the right, fed Sparrow but, from an angle, he fired just past.

The midfielder would not be denied though as Michael Wimmer's side engineered an impressive second. Lennon Miller did superbly on the left, found Slattery, who again played in Sparrow in acres of space and he finished emphatically.

Rangers struggled in most elements of their play but might have pulled one back as Dessers hit the side-net from a great position, before the increasingly familiar half-time Ibrox boos rained down from the stands.

Ferguson was decisive, making three changes at the break, and while the hosts improved, the performance was far from what he would have hoped.

Dessers did reduce the deficit when he capitalised on Casey's hesitation to finish clinically but then was denied, controversially, by the offside flag.

They pushed for an equaliser but James Tavernier, on his 500th Rangers appearance, blazed over as the visitors held firm.

The script was written, then brutally ripped up.

Ferguson's return brought a tangible level of positivity pre-match. The expected response from the players simply did not materialise.

Once again, they failed to deliver.

This is a script that has been regurgitated way too often and having now lost three consecutive matches at Ibrox, to Queens Park, St Mirren and now Motherwell, serious questions must surely be being asked within the club.

They will question the Dessers decision but, in truth, the level of performance was not good enough.

Ferguson called for his players to be dominant and stamp their authority but they were inexplicably flat. Duels were lost. Passing was slack. Poor, poor errors made.

With a trip to Jose Mourinho's Fenerbache to follow, Rangers will simply hope the team that competes so well at Europa League level, turns up.

They were hanging on a little come the end but this was a brilliant win for Motherwell, one that they will rightly remember for a very long time.

They had a real structure. They were brave on the ball. They showed quality at key moments and were clinical, for the most part, when given the opportunity.

Wimmer talked about having to win duels before the game and they fought for everything in pursuit of the points.

The concession of the goal was down to an error and for most of the match they held Rangers very, very well, limiting clear cut chances.

Rangers fell short but Motherwell played a big part in that.

They will take a lot of encouragement from how they performed in delivering a second win on the trot that will do wonders for their top six hopes.

Rangers interim manager Barry Ferguson: "There's clearly a problem in terms of playing at home. That's something we need to get to the bottom of.

"I said to the players 'the fans will go with you if you show passion' and I didn't see as much of that as I wanted to.

"I'm going to give it everything to try and solve the problem. I'm positive I will fix it."

Motherwell manager Michael Wimmer: "We had to change the atmosphere in the stadium and I think the guys did really well.

"This is something I want to see from the guys on the pitch that we are brave, that we have courage on the ball, that we find the right balance in possession. I think we were good in pressing so I'm very proud of the guys."