AN injury-time John Lundstram goal salvaged a point for Rangers in their cinch Premiership match against Livingston at Ibrox this afternoon.
But this sorry draw allowed Celtic, who had started the day two points ahead of their city rivals at the top of the table, to forge four points clear.
A Joel Nouble strike in the fourth minute gave David Martindale’s side, who had failed to triumph on their 20 previous visits to the Govan ground, the lead.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team dominated the encounter thereafter and applied relentless pressure to their opponents’ goal.
But they were unable to convert any of the scoring opportunities which they created against their 10 man adversaries until the very death.
Lundstram finally netted and ensured his side avoided an ignominious defeat when he volleyed a Kent chip beyond Shamal George in the 91st minute. Rangers had the chance to move back to within two points of their city rivals, who had beaten Hearts 4-3 at Tynecastle earlier, in the table again with a win.
But they could have no complaints about the final scoreline.
The home supporters made their displeasure at a result which has increased the pressure on manager Van Bronckhorst well known at the final whistle - there were boos from the fans who were left inside the stadium.
Rangers head to Italy next week for a Champions League match against Group A leaders Napoli in the Diego Maradona Stadium and it is hard to see them avoiding a fifth straight defeat in that outing on this evidence.
Van Bronkchorst made six changes to the team which toiled to a 1-0 win over Dundee in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final on Wednesday night.
Jon McLaughlin, Ridvan Yilmaz, James Sands, Scott Wright, Fashion Sakala and Alfredo Morelos all dropped out and Allan McGregor, Borna Barisic, Ben Davies, Scott Arfield, Ryan Kent and Antonio Colak returned.
There were fitting tributes to Jimmy Millar, the legendary Rangers striker who passed away at the age of 87 this week following a battle with dementia, before kick-off.
Banners were unfurled which read “Jimmy Millar, You’re Immortal, Wearing Number Nine” in the BF1 section of the Broomloan Road Stand. James Tavernier and his team mates wore black armbands and there was an impeccably observed minute’s silence.
Millar, who won three Scottish titles, five Scottish Cups and three League Cups during the 12 years that he spent as a player in Govan in the 1950s and 1960s, was renowned as an exceptional header of the ball in his glorious heyday.
Colak, the current first choice centre forward, has shown he is no slouch in that department himself this term. But the Croatian internationalist nodded wide in the third minute after Kent had supplied him in the opposition six yard box. That miss very much set the tone for the afternoon.
There was nothing wrong with his opposite number’s finishing just seconds later. Livingston took the lead when a Cristian Montano pass was deflected into Nouble’s path.
The 6ft 4in front man showed great composure and technique to control the ball, turn and slot beyond McGregor and into the bottom right corner.
His strike stunned Ibrox into silence. But the home supporters in the 48,855-strong crwod were soon making their unhappiness at their side’s play clear. Tavernier and his team mates retained possession for long periods. But they failed to trouble the visitors’ keeper George.
Breaking down rivals who positioned nine outfield players in and around their penalty area when they had the ball proved to be problematic.
Colak fired a Kent delivery just wide and tried his luck from long range. But at no stage did Rangers look like levelling.
The Almondvale club, on the other hand, were dangerous on the counter. When Jack Fitzwater went close to doubling their lead at a Sean Kelly corner the level of disaffection in the stands was cranked up a level.
Martindale made two changes to the side that beat St Johnstone 1-0 seven days earlier. Centre half Fitzwater and midfielder Andrew Shinnie replaced forward Kurtis Guthrie and Dylan Bahamboula. His ultra-defensive approach may not be especially attractive to watch. But it is certainly effective.
Van Bronckhorst made two substitutions at half-time; James Sands took over from Leon King at centre half and Steven Davis made way for Rabbi Matondo.
The Dutchman was clearly hoping that the winger could provide a much-needed spark in the final third. But Jackson Longridge, who came on when Montano limped off injured at the end of the opening 45 minutes, nullified the threat which he posed down the right flank effectively.
Rangers laid siege to the Livingston goal in the second-half. Tavernier forced two saves from George and Colak went close with a spectacular overhead kick. But the crosses - and there were 73 of them in total - which they played forward hopefully were all dealt with comfortably.
Could Morelos turn things around? There was a huge cheer when the Colombian replaced Arfield with 25 minutes remaining. But not even playing with two strikers could help Rangers to restore parity.
There was a VAR check in the 77th minute after Morgan Boyes brought down Morelos. The substitute had been yellow carded for the foul. But referee David Munro increased that to a red after watching back the incident on a pitchside monitor.
Fashion Sakala came on for Matondo and Kemar Roofe replaced Barisic in the closing stages. Nicky Devlin and his fellow players continued to defend for their lives.
But they could do nothing about the volley that Lundstram smashed into the top corner in injury-time.
