Motherwell 2-4 Rangers: Visitors fight back in thrilling six-goal thriller

Rangers manager Michael Beale extended his unbeaten start to the Scottish Premiership to 14 games after his side fought back to claim victory in a thrilling six-goal thriller at Motherwell.

Motherwell responded through Bevis Mugabi but two goals in six minutes from Todd Cantwell and Malik Tillman took the game away from the hosts, who had Callum Slattery fired.

Victory for Beale’s side cuts the gap on leaders Celtic to six points, but Ange Postecoglou’s men can restore their nine-point advantage with a home win against Hibernian later on Saturday.

The loss to Motherwell, who remains ninth and is now winless in 55 top-flight games against Rangers, ends Stuart Kettlewell’s four-game unbeaten start as manager.

A James McFadden goal in 2002 earned the Fir Park club their last Premiership victory in that match.

And it was current talisman Van Veen who had the home fans dreaming as the Dutchman ran into Max Johnston’s cross and then swept away past a roving supporter protesting the Ibrox council pre-game.

Rangers struggled in their quest for an equalizer as rigid Motherwell made life difficult in their 5-4-1 form, but Slattery’s savage challenge to John Lundstram at the edge of the box led Tavernier to bend a free-kick on the wall, beating Liam Kelly far too easily.

Tavernier then turned provider a minute after the break for Sakala to go home – the Zambian’s sixth goal in six games against Motherwell.

Out of nowhere, Kettlewell’s side equalized when Rangers failed to clear their lines, allowing Mugabi to drive the ball down the slide.

But Beale’s men regained their lead four minutes later when Cantwell slotted in from close range – his first goal for his new club – before substitute Tillman drilled in a quick fourth shot with a fine strike from the edge of the box.

Motherwell was reduced to 10 men for the final 14 minutes when Slattery received a second yellow for a flailing arm on Cantwell, but the hosts were spared a heavier defeat as Rangers squandered further chances to add from brilliance to victory.

Player of the Match – Todd Cantwell

Rangers react after making life difficult again – analysis

Beale will leave Fir Park with positives as his side continue to regain momentum on the pitch after the disappointing Viaplay Cup final last month.

The Rangers boss has won all of his first eight Premiership away games, becoming the first manager to do so in more than 12 years, but he will be pushing for more from his players after another performance which has fluctuated throughout the 90 minutes.

The visitors struggled to break down their hosts in the first half, with Tavernier’s 23rd-minute equalizer coming from their first shot on target.

The character of the Ibrox side to respond is to be praised, but they have made games unnecessarily difficult by losing the opening goal on too many occasions.

Rangers’ directness in the first half was in part due to Motherwell’s resolute form, but perhaps if Kettelwell’s men were more adventurous they could have taken advantage of their goalscoring advantage.

The Fir Park boss’s flexibility in how he has approached each of his five games in charge is to be commended, however. Despite the loss, Motherwell fans will not have given up hope in their team’s bid for survival.

And after?

After the international break, both sides return to the Premiership on Saturday April 1 as Motherwell travel to Hibernian, while Rangers host Dundee United (both 3pm BST).