Rangers 2-2 Hearts

Mar 22 2009 Mark Guidi reports

RANGERS threw away a chance to go top of the league - and complete a miserable March that has piled pressure on Walter Smith.

The Ibrox gaffer needed his side to bounce back after losing to Celtic in last week's Co-op Cup Final.

But his troops heaped more pain on the punters as they blew a two-goal lead to gift Hearts a point. And the Hoops can now go five points clear at the top if the beat Dundee United this afternoon.

Gers looked to be coasting after strikes from Kyle Lafferty and Barry Ferguson had them 2-0 up at half-time.

But Csaba Laszlo's side put a diabolical first-half display behind them to grab a point thanks to goals from Christos Karipidis and Ruben Palazuelos.

Rangers have taken just one point from their last two SPL games at Ibrox and that's not good enough to win the league.

The fans responded by booing Smith and his players at full-time. They've had enough and think the title has gone.

Yet their side started well and took the lead in nine minutes.

Jamie MacDonald pulled off a decent save from Steven Whittaker then threw the ball out to David Obua on the left.

But the Ugandan's pass inside was slack and DaMarcus Beasley - making his first start since December - seized possession.

He slipped the ball through for Lafferty and the big Northern Irishman drilled home from 14 yards with great confidence.

Rangers went in search of a quick second with Whittaker coming close and under-fire skipper Ferguson firing in a couple of long-range efforts.

Smith's side were dominant and Hearts just couldn't get going in the first half.

Their passing was dreadful and simple 10-yard balls were going all over the place.

When you can't get from A to B, when your first touch is heavy and your keeper lacks composure and presence there's little chance of winning, particularly at Ibrox.

And when you have a lone striker such as Christian Nade it's almost like being a man short at times.

Rangers suffered a blow in 35 minutes when Lafferty was stretchered off with an ankle injury and Nacho Novo came on.

But the loss didn't stop them going further ahead on the stroke of half-time.

Ferguson collected a pass from Pedro Mendes 15 yards out at an angle. He only had one thought on his mind and let fly with a terrific shot that flew past MacDonald.

The skipper's celebrations were interesting - to say the least.

He put a hand to his ear then a finger to his lips to tell his critics to be quiet. Ferguson then looked to the sky and screamed: 'Shut up!' Laszlo made a change at the interval and threw on Calum Elliot for Deividas Cesnauskis to go for a 4-4-2 formation.

The Jambos wanted to put more pressure on the makeshift central defensive partnership of Christian Dailly and Lee McCulloch.

And they did just that - after surviving a few scares.

Ferguson should have scored in 54 minutes after being set up by Novo but shot well over.

Novo then missed a sitter when put clean through on MacDonald from a Steve Davis pass as he hit the keeper's left-hand post.

And that miss came back to haunt Rangers as Hearts pulled one back in 64 minutes.

Allan McGregor pulled off his first save when he showed great spring to turn away Elliot's shot.

However, the keeper couldn't prevent the Tynecastle side from scoring when the corner came in.

Bruno Aguiar's deep delivery found Palazuelos unmarked and he headed back in to the danger area to find Karipidis who nodded home from six yards.

It gave Hearts a lifeline because Smith's side suddenly looked fragile. And the Jambos grabbed a leveller in 68 minutes.

Obua skinned Sasa Papac and sent a cross to the back post as Whittaker, Dailly and McCulloch all marked fresh air.

Elliot knocked down for Palazuelos and he drilled past McGregor into the bottom left-hand corner from 10 yards.

Rangers tried for a winner but had to rely on McGregor to save them from defeat.

Elliot had a chance to win it for the Jambos in the last minute but the Ibrox keeper pulled off a good save to deny him.

REF WATCH

CRAIG THOMSON appeared to get it wrong when he controversially booked Pedro Mendes for diving at the edge of the Hearts box. That apart he was in control and didn't have much to do as both sets of players behaved well. Rating: 5/10.

MATCH STATS

RANGERS

Shots on 6

Shots off 8

Offside 0

Fouls 9

Corners 11

Bookings 1

HEARTS

Shots on 4

Shots off 2

Offside 2

Fouls 9

Corners 1

Bookings 3

Taken from the Sunday Mail