Rangers moved level on points with Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic in a chaotic win over Ross County but failed to finish enough of their 23 efforts on target to move top of the table.
Visiting goalkeeper George Wickens’ 19 saves, a record since the Premiership era began in 2013, went a long way to preventing Philippe Clement’s side achieving the three-goal win that would have lifted them above the reigning champions.
A lovely lofted effort from Cyriel Dessers ignited Ibrox, but Simon Murray rocked the boat in Don Cowie’s first game as interim boss when he snuck in behind a sleeping defence to slam the visitors level.
Dessers would end the half with a deflected header to once again claim the lead and, having dominated throughout, Rangers would finally find the back of the net again when John Souttar nodded home in stoppage time.
Victory maintains the pressure on their city rivals, with the Old Firm sides now having played the same number of games, while County remain second bottom.
“I’m not busy with Celtic,” Clement told BBC Scotland. “I’m busy with Rangers. To make this team better, to take as many points as possible with this team, to win as many trophies with this team as possible. We are only busy with that.
“It was not about top spot. You can feel the momentum was there to make more goals – that hunger and desire.”
Dessers’ delightfully dinked finish was the opening Clement would have written on his script and it looked to prize open the floodgates at an expectant Ibrox.
Blue shirts practically lined up to add to Rangers’ tally, but just as the home crowd were baying for a knockout blow, they were blindsided by a sucker punch.
A hooked ball in behind found the returning Eamonn Brophy, who fizzed his delivery across the face as strike partner Murray pounced to prompt stunned silence in Govan.
The quiet became discontent as Dessers twice passed up the opportunity for another, the second of which was dramatically blocked off the line by Ryan Leak.
Rangers’ enigmatic striker easily could have walked down the tunnel as the villain. Instead, he became the hero when he relocated his finishing abilities to steer a James Tavernier cross home with the help of a County deflection.
Fifteen minutes of reprieve from the madness did not seem to stem the flow. Wave after wave of home attack continued as Wickens stood tall to keep out half-time substitute Oscar Cortes and the influential Todd Cantwell.
Their profligacy was so nearly punished again at a rare County corner when Michee Efete’s bullet header zipped inches over the bar.
Cortes, Cantwell and co could have ensured a more comfortable finale before Souttar’s header, but as Clement said before the game, the title would not be decided on this night and three points may prove precious as a fierce title race rages on.
Player of the match – James Tavernier (Rangers)
Double-sided coin for both – analysis
Understandably, there will be a sense of frustration from the home support that their towering pile of chances failed to provide the comfortable win that would have moved them into the driving seat in the Premiership.
Forty-three shots, 23 on target. The pressure was unrelenting on the County again, but Rangers could not find the decisive blow to sit top of the tree for the first time since August 2022.
Their three goals would have ended that long wait if not for their lapse of concentration at the back. When Murray found the back of the net, few inside Ibrox would scarcely believe what they were seeing, such was the dominance that had exhibited prior to the leveller.
While there will be some disappointment, it’s a game that previous iterations of Rangers might have found a way to draw or lose.
In a title race as closely contested as the one unfolding this season, the priority is always three points. Rangers remain neck and neck with Celtic, with little sign of letting up any time soon.
While the statistics show that County were brutally battered, a sense of steel can somehow be salvaged.
How did they keep that scoreline down? The chief answer is Wickens, the Fulham loanee’s saves drawing the ire of the Ibrox crowd.
They could well have added a second equaliser if Efete’s effort was a few inches lower and Cowie will leave Govan knowing his players can huff and puff right to the end.
What they said
Rangers manger Philippe Clement: “It could have been a night with much more goals, but you need a little bit of luck. On the other side, there was a goalkeeper who had the night of his life – with some good saves and sometimes with luck on his side also.
“We will continue what we have been doing. It’s important to keep creating those chances and keep up the attacking football everybody loves to see.”
Interim Ross County manager Don Cowie: “I am very proud. Rangers were on top form. We had a little bit of luck on our side.
“They missed a few chances, our goalkeeper was very, very good. He was excellent. I’ve got two very good goalkeeper on the books. He dealt with it very, very well.”
What’s next?
Rangers travel to St Johnstone on Sunday (12:00 GMT), while Ross County are also on Tayside as they visit Dundee on Saturday (15:00).
Line-ups
Rangers
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Butland
- 2Tavernier
- 6Goldson
- 5Souttar
- 3Yilmaz
- 11LawrenceSubstituted forDiomandeat 79′minutes
- 4Lundstram
- 45McCauslandSubstituted forWrightat 72′minutes
- 13CantwellBooked at 90mins
- 17MatondoSubstituted forCortésat 45′minutes
- 9DessersSubstituted forFábio Silvaat 72′minutes
Substitutes
- 7Fábio Silva
- 16Cortés
- 23Wright
- 26Davies
- 28McCrorie
- 31Barisic
- 38King
- 42Diomande
- 43Raskin
Ross County
Formation 3-1-4-2
- 40Wickens
- 28Ayina
- 42LeakBooked at 90mins
- 24EfeteBooked at 11mins
- 14Loturi
- 4Brown
- 10DhandaSubstituted forHendersonat 80′minutes
- 18KingSubstituted forSheafat 71′minutes
- 43ReidBooked at 65minsSubstituted forHarmonat 71′minutes
- 27BrophySubstituted forWhiteat 55′minutes
- 15MurraySubstituted forSimsat 80′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Laidlaw
- 3Borthwick-Jackson
- 11Sims
- 12Sheaf
- 16Harmon
- 17Henderson
- 19Khela
- 26White
Live Text
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Match ends, Rangers 3, Ross County 1.
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Second Half ends, Rangers 3, Ross County 1.
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Attempt missed. James Tavernier (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Mohamed Diomande.
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Todd Cantwell (Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Ryan Leak (Ross County).
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Ryan Leak (Ross County) is shown the yellow card.
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Todd Cantwell (Rangers) is shown the yellow card.
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Foul by Fábio Silva (Rangers).
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Ryan Leak (Ross County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Óscar Cortés (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Todd Cantwell.
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Offside, Rangers. Óscar Cortés is caught offside.
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Goal! Rangers 3, Ross County 1. John Souttar (Rangers) header from very close range to the bottom left corner. Assisted by James Tavernier with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Michee Efete.
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Attempt blocked. Todd Cantwell (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Fábio Silva.
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Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Jordan White.
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Corner, Rangers. Conceded by James Brown.
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Corner, Rangers. Conceded by George Harmon.
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Mohamed Diomande (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Ryan Leak (Ross County).
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Attempt saved. John Lundstram (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Fábio Silva.
Player of the match
KingEli King
Rangers
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Squad number13Player nameCantwell
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Squad number16Player nameCortés
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Squad number9Player nameDessers
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Squad number4Player nameLundstram
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Squad number1Player nameButland
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Squad number2Player nameTavernier
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Squad number11Player nameLawrence
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Squad number7Player nameFábio Silva
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Squad number5Player nameSouttar
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Squad number3Player nameYilmaz
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Squad number45Player nameMcCausland
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Squad number42Player nameDiomande
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Squad number23Player nameWright
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Squad number17Player nameMatondo
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Squad number6Player nameGoldson
Ross County
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Squad number18Player nameKing
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Squad number40Player nameWickens
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Squad number15Player nameMurray
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Squad number43Player nameReid
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Squad number27Player nameBrophy
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Squad number24Player nameEfete
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Squad number28Player nameAyina
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Squad number11Player nameSims
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Squad number14Player nameLoturi
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Squad number10Player nameDhanda
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Squad number42Player nameLeak
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Squad number4Player nameBrown
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Squad number12Player nameSheaf
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Squad number16Player nameHarmon
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Squad number17Player nameHenderson
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Squad number26Player nameWhite