The Rangers Football Club

FT: Motherwell 0 Rangers 0 - Rangers away form continues to let them down after tonight’sgoalless draw at Fir Park. Motherwell played well on the night but Walter Smith’s men will rue several missed chances, particularly in the first-half. Celtic now move four points clear at the top of the SPL.

90 min - Bougherra makes a last ditch run down the right channel and his cross is flicked on by Novo but Boyd can’t connect. The ball goes out for a goal kick.

88 min - Two minutes added on for injury time. Not looking good for Gers.

86 min - Graeme Smith shows a bit of nerves by running out of his area to boot the ball out of the stadium and waste time for his side.

85 min - Kenny Miller crosses into the 18-yard box but Novo’s header lacks conviction and is well wide of target. Time running out for both sides to get a winner.

80 min - A Hughes shot is deflected for a corner. Steven McGarry takes but Kenny Miller clears. Motherwell look most likely to score at this stage.

78 min – Rangers substitution - Steven Whittaker on for Sasa Papac.

78 min - Cross is swung in and Papac is takes a heavy knock to the head from Chris Porter. It looked accidental but the left-back is carried off on a stretcher.

77 min - Stephen Hughes swerves a fantastic right-foot shot from 25-yards into Allan McGregor’s top left corner but the keeper pulls off a wonder stop to deny the former Ibrox midfielder. 

74 min - Rangers’ substitution - Nacho Novo on for Kyle Lafferty. Gers in need of something special from their Spanish super-sub.

69 min - Kenny Miller does well to win a corner for his side. Ball is played short and Davis eventually crosses but again the ball is too near to Smith who catches it with ease.

68 min - Boyd puts the ball in the net after latching on to a long pass but is already ruled offside. Gers fans calling for Nacho Novo to be introduced to the play.

66 min - It’s not proving to be Lafferty’s night. Miller teed up the lanky Irishman with a clever in field pass but his shot from 18 yards is skewed wide of goal.

64 min - Rangers agin go on the attack but a long, high cross from Kirk Broadfoot gives Graeme Smith loads of time to pick the ball from the sky. More quality needed with the final pass.

61 min - Mendes shoots from 25 yards but his first real attempt on goal is too near Smith and he dives to his right to make a decent stop.

56 min - The home side have again started the second-half in a positive manner but Gers always look dangerous on the break.

55 min - Motherwell claim for a penalty after Sasa Papac miss hits a clearance and the ball looks to spin up and hit his hand. Ref waves away any pleas and rightly so. 

53 min - Back up the other end! Hughes finds Porter in the Gers 18-yard box and his turn and shot is brilliantly tipped over the bar by McGregor.

52 min - End to end stuff now. Steven Davis is released down the right wing and his low delivery across the face of goal is inches away from Boyd’s outstretched boot. Ball goes out for a goal kick.

51 min - Free-kick awarded to Motherwell 20 yards from Gers goal. Hammell takes and his low, dipping shot is well held by McGregor who dives to his left, 

50 min - Kyle Lafferty sprints 40 yards with the ball but his pass to Kris Boyd cannons off Barry Ferguson and Motherwell counter attack.

47 min - Yellow card. Bougherra is the first player in Steve Conroy’s book for a late tackle.  

45 min - Rangers start the second-half. No changes for either team.

HT: Motherwell 0 Rangers 0 - Mark McGhee’s men started the stronger of the two teams but Rangers had chances galore in the final 15 minutes. Miller, Boyd and Ferguson are all guilty of missing excellent chances and will wonder how they have not put their side at least a goal up. The game, however, remains in the balance.

45 min - Lafferty gives away a foul and Steven Hammell’s dangerous cross floats across Allan McGregor’s goal with no takers. Excellent delivery from the Well no. 3.

44 min - Davis again plays a long ball which Lafferty flicks on. Miller tries to lob Smith but his tame effort does not have the height or power to beat the keeper.

42 min - It’s all Rangers right now and the Motherwell defence is creaking. A long ball from Davis finds Boyd running through but he fails to control the ball and it slides through to Smith again. Another opportunity passes by for the visitors.

40 min - A long ball is flicked on by Boyd and Miller it around the static Bob Malcolm. The Gers’ no. 18 is wide of goal and his right foot effort is again brilliantly saved by Smith who is keeping his side in the game.

37 min - Chance for Barry Ferguson to open the scoring. Miller crosses the ball low from the left and it falls to Ferguson who sclaffs his first effort. The skipper gets a second bite at it but can’t toe poke it past the diving Graeme Smith from  eight yards. Frustration for Gers.

32 min - Steven Davis crosses from the right wing but Kyle Lafferty and Paul Quinn both miss the ball at the back post and it runs out for a throw-in.

31 min - Rangers concede a free-kick 20 yards from goal but Bob Malcolm’s effort hits the Gers wall and goes out for a corner. Ball is again cleared.

30 min - Davis crosses from the resulting corner and Boyd heads inches over Graeme Smith’s bar.

28 min - Best chance of the game fall to Rangers. Boyd finds his strike partner Kenny Miller in acres of space but the Scotland striker takes one too many touches and Motherwell eventually clear for a corner. Miller should have done better.

25 min - Madjid Bougherra tries to drag his side into the game with a surging run and cross but Smith dives on the ball before it can reach Kris Boyd. Excellent play nevertheless from the pacey Algerian.

23 min - Well’ right-back Paul Quinn pushes forward and has time and space to deliver a wicked cross which McGregor does well to hold under pressure. 

22 min - Bob Malcolm shows a bit of silky footwork to beat Kris Boyd, much to the delight of the vocal home support.

18 min - There’s a bit of nervousness from Rangers’ backline in the opening stages of the game. Ferguson and Mendes need to get the ball down and start dictating the play.

16 min - Mendes delivers a inswinging free-kick from the left wing but Smith jumps above Sasa Papac to claim the ball.

14 min - Scare for Gers. Keith Lasley evades the Gers defence and his low shot from inside the 18-yard box is only parried by McGregor. The ball is eventually cleared but it’s a real chance for the home side to take the lead.

11 min - Barry Ferguson looks to be brought down 25 yards from goal but referee Steve Conroy lets play continue and Kris Boyd produces a snap shot which Smith saves.

9 min - Steven Davis has space in the middle of the pitch but his clever through ball to the on-rushing Kenny Miller is intercepted by Bob Malcolm.

4 min - Marc Fitzpatrick crosses deep from the left wing and Sasa Papac has to be lively to head the ball away under pressure. Gers need to be tighter to the home side’s wide men.

2 min - Kyle Lafferty, who has started on the left side of midfield, tries his luck with a 20 yard shot which is easily gathered by Graeme Smith.

1 min - Early cross from Well’s Stephen Hughes is headed clear by David Weir.

0 min - Motherwell start the match from the kick-off. Perfect conditions at Fir Park this evening.

MOTHERWELL: G. Smith, Quinn, Hammell, Reynolds, Hughes, Malcolm, Porter, Sutton, Lasley, Fitzpatrick, McGarry.

Subs: Nielsen, D. Smith, Murphy, O’Brien, Meechan, McHugh, Page.

RANGERS: McGregor; Broadfoot, Weir, Bougherra, Papac; Davis, Ferguson, Mendes, Lafferty; Miller, Boyd.

Subs: Alexander, Edu, Novo, McCulloch, Whittaker, Loy, Shinnie.

Referee: Steve Conroy

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Tags: Motherwell, Rangers

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