Dundee 1-1 Rangers: Another off day as Steven Gerrard's men run out of ideas

Andy Halliday curls in a delightful free-kick to draw Rangers level at Dens Park. Picture: SNS.

The Ibrox manager suggested afterwards they aren’t as good as they think they are. Rangers certainly don’t appear to have the strength in depth they ought to have.

Gerrard made six changes following two tough league outings and in view of Thursday’s vital Europa League group match against Rapid Vienna.

Few among those called into the side yesterday took the opportunity to stake their claim for a place.

It was telling that Gerrard had made all his substitutions by the 68th minute. Rangers seemed to have run out of ideas long before the end. Eros Grezda swapping wings with Daniel Candeias was about as inventive as it got.

To lose last midweek to Aberdeen, who had Sam Cosgrove sent off in the first half, was frustrating enough, but to let two further points slip at Dundee having been granted a one-man advantage for 70 minutes is beyond careless.

Jim McIntyre’s Dundee will not complain – although the Dens Park manager did confirm they are appealing Nathan Ralph’s red card, since referee Alan Muir stated it was for denying Rangers an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

McIntyre believes footage proves Andy Boyle was covering behind Ralph.

What unfolded thereafter against all the odds was one of the bravest performances witnessed by the home fans for many a year.

The reward for this battling display is the point that lifts Dundee off bottom spot for the first time since August. They have also stretched their unbeaten run to four games.

Dundee had been seeking an unlikely third successive win over Rangers at Dens. Despite taking a ninth-minute lead through the resurgent Kenny Miller who turns 39 in ten days’ time, it soon became apparent that if the hosts were to take anything at all from the game, it would have to be the hard way.

The loss of a man so early was bad enough but when the foul conceded in the process also produced an equaliser, Dundee’s spirits – and those of their fans – could only droop.

Ralph might as well have given away a penalty following his reckless dive into the feet of Candeias. Andy Halliday swept home the resultant free-kick from the edge of the box as though it were a spot kick –with ruthless precision.

The ball was nestling in the net while the Dundee goalkeeper Jack Hamilton was still thinking about diving.

Dundee now had to contemplate playing three-quarters of the game a man down. Rangers, needing a handsome victory to go top of the league, perhaps glimpsed possibilities.

But their first mission was simply to score again and restrict an understandably less enterprising Dundee to what they already had.

While they at least stopped Dundee scoring again, Gerrard’s side proved ill-equipped for the task of breaking down a stuffy, re-shaped home defence.

They will rightly point out that they did score a legitimate goal just after the half-hour mark when Kyle Lafferty swept home from close range following Ryan Kent’s cross from the right.

Far-side assistant referee Graham Chambers curtailed the away fans’ celebrations – replays showed Lafferty was onside. But sympathy is in short supply, even among Rangers’ own fans. They know, like everyone else, including Gerrard, that Rangers still had time on their side to make their own luck. They were unable to do it. Hamilton barely had a shot to save in the second half. He dealt confidently with those crosses Rangers were able to get into the box. So, too, did Genseric Kusunga and Boyle, Dundee’s centre-half pairing. The latter stepped in for the injured Darren O’Dea and coped superbly.

Kenny Miller had a far happier experience playing against his old side than earlier this season, when he was sent off and Dundee lost 4-0.

Ralph could at least point to an assist in the short time he was on the park and set Miller on his way with a long ball from the back.

Rangers defender Connor Goldson should have dealt with the problem. But Miller’s harrying so often brings him reward and so it proved here.

He got the other side of the dithering Goldson and poked the ball beyond Allan McGregor, who had strayed off his line.

The veteran striker hared off and while he did not raise his arms aloft, it seems out of respect to his former club, his grin said everything about a player who’s clearly found a place where he’s enjoying playing football again.

This is his sixth goal in his last four appearances – he now features among the likes of Alfredo Morelos and James Forrest on the top-scorer charts. Not bad for someone who will have entered his 40th year by Christmas.

He contributed more than simply in front of goal yesterday. He was back heading corners to safety while instructing others what to do.

His influence was such that it was possible to fear for Dundee when Miller was replaced with 15 minutes left by Benji Kallman. But Dundee held on. They even ended the game on the front foot.

But with a significant result seconds away, and knowing what the point meant in terms of their league standing, ambition gave way to expediency and the hosts were content to try to keep the ball in the corner.

It’s Rangers who must now come out fighting having demonstrated how difficult life at the top can prove.