Rangers' lead at the Scottish Premier League summit looks ever more precarious
as Dundee made their point in style to secure an unexpected but well-earned draw
at Tannadice.
The result means Rangers, who earlier this year were an imposing 13 points
clear of Celtic, are now only four ahead and due to face their Old Firm rivals
at Parkhead in a fortnight.
Dundee's off-field future may remain in question with merger talk persistent,
but there is no doubting the resolve of those on the park to fight on after this
assured display on unfamiliar ground.
With the fixture moved to Dundee United's home while Dens Park is rebuilt,
Rangers' support occupied three sides of the ground, but they were silenced by
Iain Anderson's 23rd-minute header.
That lead was against the run of play, but ironically once Rangers equalised
through Tony Vidmar's 49th-minute goal, Dundee were more of a match for the
Glasgow giants and even outplayed them at times.
Dick Advocaat's men seemed to be missing their customary fluency, perhaps
still shaken by recent league defeats to both St Johnstone and Dundee United
which have re-ignited the title race.
Colin Hendry will be restored to the Scotland international captaincy
tomorrow, but there was no place for him in the Rangers starting line-up as the
visitors opted for a three-man backline.
Claudio Reyna, the American international signed for £1.2million from
Wolfsburg, was offered an immediate debut, while for Dundee Dariusz Adamczuk was
again suspended.
Rangers were the dominant force from the outset with Sergio Porrini playing in
Jonatan Johansson after nine minutes only for Robert Douglas to hold the Finn's
snap shot.
Jorg Albertz then had an effort deflected wide and the same fate was suffered
by Lorenzo Amoruso whose strike on the turn was blocked by Gavin Rae.
Douglas made a superb one-handed save after 12 minutes to deny Giovanni Van
Bronckhorst's half-volley from distance after Neil McCann's pass had set up the
shooting chance.
A rare Douglas fumble went unpunished as Barry Smith was alert of the danger,
while in Rangers' next attack Reyna saw a 20-yard effort drift wide of the
mark.
With their first genuine chance of the contest, Dundee moved ahead when Steven
Boyack, sold earlier this term by Rangers for £25,000, made the Ibrox outfit
pay.
He created time and space for himself on the right before floating a precise
cross for Anderson whose free header defeated Stefan Klos in the Rangers goal.
James Grady might have doubled that lead had he reacted better to an Anderson
through-ball, but Rangers recovered their composure and swiftly resumed their
onslaught.
Dundee were again in debt to their keeper Douglas for retaining their lead
until the interval as first he blocked a Rod Wallace with his legs then diverted
to safety Johansson's follow-up.
Rangers continued to press with McCann reaching the byline on the left flank
but when he squared to Johansson the forward shot wide of an open goal.
Rangers signalled their intentions from the restart as Albertz fired an angled
drive narrowly wide of the mark and had to wait only four minutes to level.
An Albertz corner from the left picked out Australian defender Vidmar whose
header found its way through a crowd of players and into the back of the net.
Rangers at once looked to establish a lead, Wallace putting a shot wide then
Van Bronckhorst seeing a well-struck effort claimed by Douglas in the Dundee
goal.
The visitors came within inches of a second goal when Reyna played in
Johansson on the left, and his driven cross just eluded a lunging McCann in
front of goal.
Dundee were still sprightly though and after 63 minutes Grady saw a shot go
narrowly wide after more good work by Anderson, while Tommy Coyne should have
done better when put clear on the left.
Anderson and Boyack then combined superbly, the latter producing a deft
backheel, for Dundee's goalscorer to almost manage a second with a looping shot
which just cleared the crossbar.
The threat of Anderson prompted Reyna into a rash challenge which might have
earned more than a booking, but as it was he left the field, substituted by
Derek McInnes.
Kanchelskis, sluggish again, gave the ball away to Grady with seven minutes
remaining, but the striker's run on goal was followed by a shot dragged wide of
Klos and the target.
Rangers wanted more than a point, but in truth never did quite enough to make
that happen and their nerve is now certain to be tested as an uneven season
approaches its climax.
Teams
Dundee: Douglas, Smith, Irvine, Anderson, Grady, Maddison,
Coyne (Falconer 73), McSkimming, Miller, Rae, Boyack.
Subs Not Used: McInally, Strachan, Tweed, Langfield.
Goals: Anderson 23.
Rangers: Klos, Porrini, Amoruso, Kanchelskis (Hendry 79),
Van Bronckhorst, Albertz, Wallace, McCann, Johansson (Amato 65),
Vidmar, Reyna (McInnes 80).
Subs Not Used: Brown, McKnight.
Booked: Reyna.
Goals: Vidmar 49.
Att: 11,051
Ref: J Rowbotham (Kirkcaldy).
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