Motherwell earned a richly deserved point with a battling 1-1 draw at Ibrox.
Kaiyne Woolery’s second-half goal was the least the Steelmen deserved, having fallen behind in controversial circumstances to Fashion Sakala’s first-half header.
Sondre Solholm dropped out with a minor injury, allowing captain Stephen O’Donnell to return to the side, with Bevis Mugabi moving to centre back.
The game started at pace, with the visitors pushing high up the park and getting on the ball.
And they should have been ahead in the eighth minute. Watt found himself in behind and one-on-one with goalkeeper McGregor.
Bearing down on goal, he elected to take a touch to the left to get past the ‘keeper but just as he was about to tap into an empty net, the tackle came in to deny him.
Minutes later, the hosts took the lead.
A corner from the right was flicked on at the front post and Sakala, who appeared to be in an offside position, had the simplest task to head home from two yards into the net.
On Rangers’ flag day, a capacity crowd were buoyed and their side started to take control.
Tavernier’s surge down the left saw his shot squirm under Kelly, only for Ojala to arrive on the line and clear.
At the other end, set plays were Motherwell’s best route to goal, but a succession of free-kicks and long throws came to little.
The last flash points of the first half came in the Rangers box
First, Van Veen did brilliantly to get a ball under control in the area and, trying to make room for the shot, slipped.
With no appeal for a penalty and showing frustration at the chance going begging, referee Steven McLean flashed a yellow card for simulation.
Minutes later, a deep ball into the area was hunted down by Watt.
Cutting across Goldson, the defender caught the striker high but the referee waved away the protests for a spot kick.
Rangers started the second half of the front foot. Two minutes in, a ball from the right saw Roofe slide in but steer over from eight yards.
Motherwell’s confidence, however, was also growing and they would be rewarded for a positive approach just after the hour mark.
Building down the left, O’Hara was slipped in to match his run from deep. Surging into the box, he tried to weave his way through but was blocked as he tried to find room for a shot.
The ball, however, broke well to Woolery, who was alive to follow up and power home from 10 yards to give a well-earned equaliser.
Rangers grew in urgency but Motherwell also remained positive and had a huge chance with 10 to go.
Van Veen won a header 25 yards from goal and the ball broke to Slattery, but drive on the half-volley sailed over the bar.
In the end, Motherwell held firm against the late resistance and left with a deserved point.
Motherwell: Kelly, O’Donnell, Mugabi, Ojala, McGinley, Grimshaw, O’Hara, Slattery, Woolery, Watt, Van Veen.
Subs: Fox, Lamie, Donnelly, Maguire, Crawford, Amaluzor, Roberts.
