Scottish Premiership: Rangers’ title hopes hit by shock loss to Motherwell

Dan Casey’s stunning second-half goal gave Motherwell a shock 2-1 win over Rangers at Ibrox and handed the initiative in the Premiership title race back to Celtic.

Stuart Kettlewell’s side silenced most of Ibrox in the ninth minute with a goal from striker Theo Bair which left the hosts struggling to read an unexpected script. Gers captain James Tavernier scored from the spot on the hour mark after the VAR had intervened, but Irish defender Casey restored the visitors’ lead with a close-range finish in the 74th minute for the first Well win in the league in Govan since 1997.

It was a first defeat in 12 games in all competitions for Philippe Clement’s side and although they remain two points clear of their Old Firm rival at the top of the table, Celtic get the chance to leapfrog them against Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday. The news was compounded by the blow that on-loan winger Óscar Cortés has, according to Clement, a “severe injury” which will keep him out for “a long time”.

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The visitors had the first chance when defender Bevis Mugabi headed a Blair Spittal corner over the bar but they did not miss the second. Jack Vale got past defender John Souttar and cut the ball back for Bair to steer the ball past goalkeeper Jack Butland and in off the post for his sixth goal in nine games.

Cyriel Dessers headed wide and Well keeper Liam Kelly punched a dipping shot from Mohamed Diomande past the post for a corner before Kelly made an even better save from Yilmaz’s swerving shot from distance. The traffic towards the Motherwell goal was busy but in the 35th minute Spittal had a decent effort saved by Butland, before winger Ross McCausland was replaced by Fábio Silva after failing to shake off the effects of a crunching tackle. Silva weakly knocked a long pass from Connor Goldson into the arms of a grateful Kelly and Rangers’ best chance of the first half was gone.

Tom Lawrence replaced Raskin for the start of the second half and within two minutes Dessers had the ball in the Well net from a yard out, but the flag was up for an infringement as a clutch of players contested a high ball. Soon after Spittal’s flick hit the crossbar at the other end, the Govan side were level.

There was a long VAR check for a penalty when the Motherwell right-back Stephen O’Donnell tackled Silva inside the box and when referee Alan Muir checked his pitchside monitor and pointed to the spot, Tavernier smashed the ball high past Kelly for his 21st goal of the season.

The home fans roared Rangers on for a winner and Dujon Sterling missed the target when set up by John Lundstram. However, sprightly Motherwell retained more than a hint of danger. Bair got past Goldson to spring a break but hit his pass straight at Souttar, but Casey made no mistake when he headed in Spittal’s deep cross to the back post.

Rangers threw everything forward in the final stages. Kelly made good saves from Lundstram and Yilmaz, while Goldson twice missed the target with headers from six yards and Well defender Paul McGinn cleared off the line. But Casey’s goal was a blow from which Rangers did not recover and they will need to dig deep when they play the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie against Benfica in Lisbon on Thursday.

Neil Warnock continues to wait for a win as Aberdeen manager as St Mirren scored twice in injury time to beat his men 2-1. Connor Barron’s goal after just 62 seconds looked set to earn the Dons a first league win for two months. But substitute Toyosi Olusanya won a penalty after a long VAR delay that was converted by Mark O’Hara, and just moments later Olusanya volleyed in what proved to be the winner to improve Saints’ top-six chances.

Myziane Maolida and substitute Dylan Levitt struck in the second half as Hibernian defeated relegation-threatened Ross County 2-0 at Easter Road to climb into the top six. The victory extended the Hibees’ unbeaten run in all competitions to five games and allowed them to move above Dundee and back into the top half of the table County remain second bottom, six points clear of last-placed Livingston.

Ten-man Kilmarnock snatched a point with an injury-time goal in a 2-2 draw at Dundee. Robbie Deas scored their dramatic leveller, having earlier trailed to a Luke McGowan penalty – following a Lewis Mayo red – and a Will Dennis own goal. But Marley Watkins’ initial equaliser and then Deas’ late goal earned Killie a point.

Livingston conceded an 87th-minute equaliser as they drew 1-1 at St Johnstone. Nicky Clark’s header did the damage, with Andrew Shinnie thinking he had given Livi a win with a 37th-minute opener.