On what was billed as retro jersey day at Ibrox, Rangers supporters had been inspired to dig out a few of their favorite kits from yesteryear and put on them for this house Premiership conflict with Motherwell.
It actually made for a vibrant journey down reminiscence lane. Up within the stands, loads of daring style statements had been made by followers decked out in tops from the 80s and 90s.
Nevertheless, on the pitch, there have been no such statements. As a substitute, solely an ungainly and clumsy stagger alongside the catwalk from Danny Rohl’s Rangers staff.
With the title race persevering with to ship extra twists and turns than Blackpool Pleasure Seaside, Rangers got here off the rails right here.
A deadly blow? Not fairly. Not with 4 video games nonetheless to play. However the medical doctors at the moment are on the level of calling for all times assist.
Particularly provided that three of these 4 matches are away from house — in opposition to Hearts subsequent Monday, adopted by journeys to Celtic and Falkirk.
Emmanuel Longelo silenced the Ibrox crowd with a completely merited winner for the guests
Shortly after full-time, all eyes turned to Easter Highway. How unhealthy would the injury be? Not fairly catastrophic if Hibs, main 1-0 at that time, might do them a favour.
However Hearts turning it round to win 2-1? That was large. A blow of seismic significance. The league leaders at the moment are 4 factors away from Rangers.
In the event that they beat Rohl’s facet subsequent Monday to go seven clear, that will kill Rangers off and put the ultimate nail within the coffin.
As was the case in opposition to Falkirk a fortnight in the past, Rohl’s facet made an terrible begin right here and fell two objectives behind to a Motherwell staff who performed them off the pitch for 45 minutes. They had been fortunate to be solely two down.
On this event, there can be no nice act of escapology. Attempting to claw their method again from a two-goal deficit, Rangers dug themselves a gap and in the end couldn’t get out of it.
They gave it a very good go, getting it again to 2-2. However when Motherwell’s Emmanuel Longelo fired the ball previous Jack Butland within the ultimate minute, you may have heard a pin drop inside Ibrox.
It was a hammer blow to Rangers’ title possibilities, regardless of how a lot Rohl urged followers to maintain the religion afterwards.
His staff have main points defensively, conceding 9 objectives of their final 4 matches. They play solely in matches and begins, they depend on moments, and so they lack real conviction.
Danny Rohl cannot bear to look as his Rangers facet throw away an enormous three factors at Ibrox
Rohl caught with the identical system that had labored so nicely within the second-half fightback at Falkirk, with Bojan Miovski and Youssef Chermiti deployed collectively up entrance.
The expectation was that Rangers can be recent and raring to go after heading away to a warm-weather coaching camp in La Manga through the break from their final fixture.
However they began this match in such appalling style that it made you query precisely what the aim of that train had been.
The efficiency was fully at odds with the ambiance. Barring the Previous Agency derbies, this was as loud as Ibrox has been all season as kick-off approached.
Motherwell had been on the entrance foot proper from the off. They performed with a tempo and sense of ambition that Rangers merely couldn’t match.
Barring a latest blip which noticed them arrive at Ibrox and not using a win of their final 5 matches, Jens Berthel Askou’s facet have been a revelation this season.
This was whole vindication of the truth that Motherwell wound up with 5 gamers — greater than some other staff — within the PFA Scotland staff of the 12 months.
Decided to play out from the again at each alternative, they knocked the ball round and enticed a press from Rangers which by no means seemed coherent sufficient to hassle the guests.
The consequence was startling. Time and time once more, the claret-and-amber jerseys merely popped the ball round and performed their method via. Particularly within the centre of the pitch, Rangers had been chasing shadows.
Motherwell scored the opening objective on 16 minutes, the excellent Lukas Fadinger driving ahead from midfield and exchanging a one-two with Stephen O’Donnell.
Longelo’s late winner was a hammer blow to the title aspirations of the Ibrox males
No one in a Rangers jersey tracked the run. Fadinger nonetheless had a good bit to do, however he fired a very good low end past Butland. The noise ranges inside Ibrox had been instantly very completely different in nature.
A way of tension and frustration quickly unfold across the stadium. Motherwell had been enjoying with swagger and freedom.
Their three in midfield — Fadinger together with Callum Slattery and Elliot Watt — had been completely sensational. The identical may very well be mentioned of Elijah Simply who drifted round and prompted all method of chaos.
It was 2-0 on 26 minutes. Tom Sparrow performed in a cross from the precise and Longelo arrived on the again put up to thump the ball excessive into the online.
Understanding that the league title might nicely be slipping away, the Ibrox crowd had been completely apoplectic by this level.
All of the extra so when Slattery missed an enormous likelihood to make it 3-0. There was a really believable argument that Rohl ought to have modified it after half an hour. He had absolutely seen greater than sufficient by then.
There was no width within the Rangers staff in any respect. They seemed terrified to play the ball ahead at occasions, continuously going again to the centre-backs and goalkeeper. They had been in an almighty gap.
Rohl waited till half-time to make a triple change, with James Tavernier, Mohamed Diomande and Mikey Moore approaching to interchange Tochi Chukwuani, Jayden Meghoma and Miovski.
The advance was nearly instantaneous. Solely six minutes after the break, the fightback began when Chermiti latched on to a Diomande move.
Exhibiting good composure as he superior in direction of objective, the Portuguese striker scurried away from Paul McGinn and drilled the ball low previous Calum Ward.
Chermiti’s header made it 2-2 and gave Rohl’s males hope of one other dramatic turnaround
Immediately, a method again. A lifeline when the title seemed useless and buried for these opening 45 minutes. Rocking as soon as once more, Ibrox roared its approval.
A slick transfer on the hour noticed Chermiti blaze over from round 12 yards out. It was a terrific likelihood, however he would make amends on 70 minutes as Rangers discovered the equaliser.
From a James Tavernier nook, Manny Fernandez rose on the again put up and headed the ball again throughout the face of objective. It hung within the air and was there to be received. Chermiti threw himself at it, combining with Raskin to bundle the ball over the road for 2-2.
With 20 minutes to play, this recreation was now there to be received. Aasgaard had an excellent likelihood to finish the comeback however he fired a tame effort over the bar when he must have buried it.
Motherwell actually had not crumbled. Askou’s males had been all the time a risk on the counter, led by the nimble dancing toes of Simply on the high of the pitch.
With 90 minutes on the clock, it was one other slick counter-attack which noticed them snatch all three factors and go away Ibrox surprised.
It began with goalkeeper Ward throwing the ball out to O’Donnell. He fed Longelo and the vast man reduce inside and fired a shot at objective, the ball clipping the pinnacle of Fernandez because it flew previous Butland and into the online.
There was a late likelihood for Chermiti to rescue a degree when a free ball broke to him not more than six yards out, however Ward unfold himself and made the save, with Moore skewing the rebound over the bar.
Rangers (4-2-2-2): Butland 5; Sterling 6 (Aarons 77), Djiga 5, Fernandez 5, Meghoma 4 (Tavernier 46); Chukwuani 5, Raskin 5; Gassama 4 (Moore 46), Aasgaard 5; Chermiti 7, Miovski 5 (Diomande 46). Booked: Sterling. Supervisor: Danny Rohl 5.
Motherwell (4-3-3): Ward 7; O’Donnell 7, McGinn 6, Welsh 6 (McGhee 55), Longelo 8; FADINGER 8, Watt 7.5, Slattery 7.5 (Hendry 90); Sparrow 7 (Gordon 90), Simply 8 (Stated 72), Maswanhise 7 (Charles-Cook dinner 72). Booked: Longelo, Slattery. Supervisor: Jens Berthel Askou 8.
Referee: Kevin Clancy.
Attendance: 50,970.
