Thrills and spills as Motherwell earn a point at Ibrox

Louis Moult heads Motherwell into an early lead at Ibrox on Saturday (Pic by Ian McFadyen)

The Steelmen silenced the large Ibrox crowd by taking the lead after just three minutes when Chris Cadden’s corner from the left was headed in powerfully by Louis Moult.

Gers keeper Wes Foderingham got something on the ball but was beaten by the power of Moult’s effort.

Moult then headed too high after a McDonald centre.

Motherwell players celebrate taking the lead against Rangers (Pic by Ian McFadyen)

The visitors survived a major scare when Martyn Waghorn went down after rounding ‘Well keeper Craig Samson on 21 minutes. But referee Steven McLean booked Waghorn for diving.

Scott McDonald shot over from 25 yards for the Steelmen before team-mate Stephen Pearson was booked for a robust challenge on Jon Toral.

The Light Blues came close to levelling on 37 minutes when Barrie McKay skinned Chris Cadden and crossed for Waghorn whose snapshot just missed the far post.

‘Well took their lead into half-time and survived a scare just a minute into the second period when Emerson Hyndman’s shot was brilliantly blocked by Carl McHugh.

McHugh had a header comfortably saved from a Cadden corner before Samson produced a brilliant stop at the other end to keep out sub Joe Garner’s header from McKay’s corner.

But Rangers did level on the hour when Garner volleyed in with his left foot at the back post after Kenny Miller’s centre.

There was a major moment of controversy on 62 minutes when the Steelmen had a goal disallowed when Moult volleyed in after Bowman’s initial shot had been saved by Foderingham. The strike was ruled out for offside against Stephen Pearson on the line.

Bowman’s header was saved before Hyndman’s shot was deflected wide at the other end.

The Steelmen incredibly failed to go ahead from a 68th minute Cadden corner, when Moult had a header blocked before McDonald’s follow up was brilliantly stopped by Foderingham.

Waghorn sent a free-kick just wide for Rangers before Samson made a fine stop from Garner’s shot.

McDonald sent a setpiece just over for ‘Well, who had a haert stopping moment in injury time when Hyndman somehow volleyed over from close range after Waghorn’s long throw into the box.

The final chance saw Foderingham stop a McDonald volley.