A last-minute penalty allowed Kilmarnock to snatch a share of the points
against Rangers at Rugby Park.
The Ibrox side looked on course to pick up their seventh SPL win since Alex
McLeish took over in December.
But Kris Boyd pulled Killie back into the game five minutes from time and
Tommy Johnson denied Rangers the win from the spot in the last minute of the
game.
The opener for Rangers came courtesy of a Peter Lovenkrands delivery that was
met by Ronald de Boer and his shot from just inside the area deflected off
Freddie Dindeleux into the back of the net shortly after the half hour mark.
An indirect free-kick gave Rangers a two-goal lead when Lorenzo Amoruso met
Barry Ferguson's short ball to thunder the ball into the back of the net with a
little help from the unassuming Tore Andre Flo.
McLeish had returned from his travels and whether he was actually looking to
buy a new player or just window shopping ahead of Thursday's European deadline
remains to be seen.
But that trip may take on more importance now after his side dropped points
against Killie that had looked so secure for the best part of the game.
For most teams, the prospect of playing both sides of the Old Firm in the
space of five days is not a welcome thought and Killie struggled more than
Rangers to make their mark on this game despite the Govan side's punishing
schedule over the last 11 days - which has seen them play five games.
Lovenkrands was handed a starting role and he proved to be a constant thorn in
Killie's left side and, within five minutes, he gave a sneak preview of what was
to come.
The young Danish winger calmly took the ball around Dindeleux before whipping
a cross into the box to the waiting de Boer but Ally Mitchell proved to be
slightly more vigilant than his French team-mate and sliced the ball out of the
park for the first corner of the game.
As the game progressed - and Kilmarnock still searched for their first shot on
goal - Lovenkrands continued to torment his hosts by supplying dangerous crosses
from the left flank.
After 16 minutes he picked out Flo, only for Dindeleux to clear, and a minute
later he provided the cross for Shota Arveladze but the Georgian just failed to
connect at the far post.
Arveladze had the chance to make amends after 26 minutes when de Boer cut the
ball back to him and he should have opened the scoring from just six yards out
but instead he shot straight into the arms of goalkeeper Gordon Marshall.
Rangers had been threatening throughout the opening 45 minutes and their hard
work came to fruition after 33 minutes when an inswinger from Lovenkrands found
de Boer and his shot took a slight deflection off Dindeleux before finding the
back of the net.
Killie had the chance to pull a goal back on the stroke of half time when
Barry Ferguson was caught out by Tommy Johnson in front of goal.
But the former Celtic striker couldn't control the ball properly and, in the
end, it was easily swept up by goalkeeper Stefan Klos.
Five minutes after the restart Rangers extended their lead when referee John
Underhill ruled that Kevin McGowne had passed the ball back to his own
goalkeeper and awarded an indirect free-kick.
Ferguson played a short ball to Amoruso and his shot cannoned off Flo and into
the back of the net.
Rangers could have put the game beyond Killie after 70 minutes when
Lovenkrands finished off a great run by hooking a cross to Arveladze at the far
post - only for the striker to bullet the header wide of the upright.
Six minutes later Fernando Ricksen played the ball through to Stephen Hughes
and the Rangers starlet unleashed from 20 yards - but he was denied by
Marshall.
Then came the Killie comeback.
First youngster Kris Boyd, who replaced McLaren, gave Killie hope when he
fired home with just five minutes remaining.
And Johnson snatched a share of the points from the penalty spot after Ricksen
had bundled over Craig Dargo in the area.
Teams
Kilmarnock: Marshall, Fowler, McGowne, Dindeleux (Hessey 72), Hay, Canero, Mahood, Mitchell, Murray (Dargo 62), Johnson, McLaren (Boyd 62).
Subs Not Used: Meldrum, McDonald.
Booked: McLaren.
Goals: Boyd 85, Johnson 90 pen.
Rangers: Klos, Ricksen, Moore, Amoruso, Vidmar,
de Boer (Dodds 83), Hughes, Ferguson, Arveladze, Flo,
Lovenkrands (McCann 76).
Subs Not Used: Christiansen, Ross, Caniggia.
Booked: Moore, Vidmar, Ferguson.
Goals: de Boer 34, Flo 55.
Att: 11,589
Ref: J Underhill (Scotland).
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