An injury time equaliser from captain Peter Hartley earned Motherwell their first point in the Ladbrokes Premiership.
However, after twice taking the lead in the first half through Danny Johnson and Carl McHugh and pressing Rangers for most of the second half Stephen Robinson’s men might claim they deserved all three points.
In a pulsating first half, Steven Gerrard’s new look Gers twice came from behind with a double from Kyle Lafferty and Ovie Ejaria giving them a half time lead.
Allan Campbell and Chris Cadden returned to the midfield as ‘Well chased their first league points off the season.
Following his winner at Livingston last week, Danny Johnson kept his place alongside Curtis Main in the home attack. And it took the former Gateshead striker less than three minutes to open his league account.
Cadden’s long ball had Connor Goldson retreating and when the centre back slipped, Johnson latched on to the bouncing ball to calmly lob it over the advancing Allan McGregor for the perfect start.
Two minutes later it was almost a perfect start for Lafferty but his downward header was saved low in front of his right hand post by Trevor Carson.
Another great cross from Cadden whizzed across the six yard box with Andy Rose just failing to make contact. Minutes later Main’s glancing header sent Johnson in behind and having held off Goldson just failed to chip the ball over McGregor.
With ‘Well looking comfortable, Rangers equalised with a fortunate strike after 15 minutes. Borna Barisic’s cross was headed out of the box and although Lafferty’s drive might have been on target, it posed no real problem for Carson until a wicked deflection off Richard Tait sent the ball away from the ‘keeper and into the corner.
Amazingly it took the Fir Park men only two minutes to restore their lead. Gael Bigirimana, whose delivery from set pieces threatened throughout the game, whipped in terrific free kick. Carl McHugh at the corner of the six yard box then confidently steered his header across the keeper and into the far corner of the net to make it 2-1.
The game was hectic and end to for the next 20 minutes until Rangers and Lafferty produced another equaliser. James Tavernier sent over a tempting cross but the ex Hearts striker leapt unchallenged eight yards from goal to bury a header past Carson.
Three minutes from the end of a fast and entertaining half, the Ibrox side nicked another goal to take the lead. From Motherwell’s corner play raced to the other end where Ejaria collected the ball at the edge of the box. His curling shot appeared to bring out a great save from Carson but the ball spun from his left hand before creeping inside his right hand post.
Motherwell’s response to that set back was to press from the restart and dominate large spells of the second half. After early attempts from Johnson and Tait were blocked inside the six yard box the pressure on the visitor’s goal was incessant – especially after the introduction of Conor Sammon and Elliot Frear for the final 15 minutes.
A succession of corners from Bigirimana kept the pressure on the Rangers’ goal.
Nine minutes from time Hartley climbed high to meet a corner only to power his header narrrowly over the bar. As the clock ticked towards the final minutes another corner found Main and his header back across goal agonisingly raced a couple of inches outside the far post.
As three minutes additional time was signalled ‘Well continued to push for an equaliser and it duly arrived in the final minute. With Rangers desperately defending, yet another Bigirimana corner found Hartley a couple of yards out and he forced the ball over a crowded goal line for a richly deserved equaliser.
