Irate Rangers fans turn on Philippe Clement and desperately poor team as fates are kind on one player

So who was it to be? The real Thursday version of Rangers or the so-called imposters who have set the Ibrox side so far back in the league. This was another away assignment designed to test Philippe Clement’s men and it proved every bit as challenging as their fans feared as Rangers suffered dropped points on the road for the fourth time in succession.

The away day blues is a condition these supporters are familiar with. Although Thursdays have usually proved more enjoyable than other days on the week this season, following their Europa League exploits and last week’s dismantling of rivals Celtic, they are not a guarantee of success - as was underlined by this 1-1 draw. The fans finally turned on Clement after the final whistle.

The Rangers manager was quick to stress he was looking forward to hearing what referees' chief Willie Collum had to say about a penalty he claimed Hibs were fortunate to be awarded against his side on Sunday. His opposite man Tony Docherty will also be interested to study the findings of the Key Match Incident Review panel after Dundee were denied a penalty here.

Rangers defender Jefte hangs his head after more dropped points away from home. | SNS Group

Clinton Nsiala may well develop to become an outstanding Rangers centre half. The 20-year-old certainly looks the part. Tall and powerful, Clement was prepared to turn to the French player signed from AC Milan this summer and hand him a senior debut amid a defensive injury crisis. He will have certainly benefitted from this outing on a chilly evening at Dens Park, where the fates were kind to him around ten minutes from half time after he clumsily knocked Simon Murry to the ground 12 minutes before half-time.

Referee Calum Scott opted to wave away what looked like Dundee’s very strong penalty appeals. VAR did not step in. Indeed, the first chance those sitting watching at Clydesdale House had to intervene was after Vaclav Cerny had equalised Seun Adewumi’s early opener. Rangers had simply gone straight up the other end of the pitch and rubbed salt into Dundee’s wounds.

But while it may have been a case of what might have been for the Dens Park side, who have their own injury worries, they seemed happy enough with the draw at the end. There was mild uproar from the away fans, though did these supporters really expect anything else? Fortune did shine on Dundee when a shot that hit the bar from Mohamed Diomande with four minutes left but this was another desperately poor Rangers performance.

Rangers manager Philippe Clement trudges off after the 1-1 draw at Dundee. | SNS Group

Lyall Cameron’s unexpected absence from the Dundee side raised eyebrows in light of his recent links to Rangers. “Illness,” according to his manager pre-match. The Scotland Under 21 midfielder is out of contract at the end of this season and free to talk to other clubs.

Dundee handed new Mexican signing Cesar Garza a full debut in Cameron’s absence and while an even more diminutive figure than the player he replaced he made his presence felt in the opening stages – although not as much so as Adewumi.

The on-loan Burnley forward might have been playing his last game for Dundee – his contract expires this weekend. If he was signing off, he made a memorable last contribution as he drilled the hosts into a lead inside just six minutes. Rangers could not clear their lines after Scott Tiffoney’s shot was blocked and Dundee inflicted maximum punishment. Mulligan cut back for Adewumi, whose low shot flicked up off the turf into the corner of the net.

It was another swift start from Docherty’s side, who scored three times in the opening 25 minutes against St Johnstone on Sunday. Whether they could add to the opener as they did then was another question although they looked lively enough. Rangers, meanwhile, appeared sufficiently docile to concede another.

A penalty appeal for Dundee as Simon Murray goes down in the box under a challenge from Rangers Clinton Nsiala. | SNS Group

They did, though, manage to level but the fact it was sourced from a move that developed from the visitors’ own box was instructive. Home fans will still be wondering why play continued after Murray looked to have had his foot stood on by Nsiala, who seemed to nudge the Dundee striker for good measure. Murray fell to the ground and Rangers swept up field and though the home team had ample opportunity to intervene, Hamza Igamane evaded the sliding Aaron Donnelly to set up Cerny, whose shot even then should have been stopped at his near post by Trevor Carson.

The Dundee goalkeeper made up for his error with a fine flying save from Cerny in the second half but Dundee had chances too, including when the excellent Adewumi blazed over after a cut back from substitute Julien Vetro. Adewumi also saw a goal chopped off for a narrow offside call.