Rangers 1 Hearts 1

By Ewing Grahame

Ally McCoist on Saturday became only the third Rangers manager not to win his first competitive match in charge (John Greig and Alex McLeish being the others) after being held to a draw by an impressive Hearts side.

With a crucial Champions League qualifying round match against Malmo due on Tuesday it was not the start he wanted.

"I was disappointed with our first-half display but you have to give Hearts credit," said McCoist afterwards. "We didn't get going and we gave the ball away cheaply.

"However, I was pleased with the reaction of our players after the break. We could have nicked it inthe end but that might have been an injustice."

McCoist watched the 90 minutes from the directors' box, a policy he intends to persevere with for home matches at least.

"You see a better picture of the game from there," he explained, adding that he hoped to have completed the signing of Romanian defender Dorian Goian from Palermo in time for Tuesday's tie.

Chairman Craig Whyte unfurled the club's world record 54th league championship flag amid all the whistles, bells and fireworks which accompany these occasions.

The whiff of cordite seemed to inspire the home side (Nikica Jelavic almost put them ahead in spectacular fashion, cushioning a Steven Davis cross on his chest before volleying just wide of Marian Kello's right-hand post) but it turned out to be a damp squib of a performance from the home side.

Hearts were disadvantaged after only eight minutes when central defender Andy Webster, who has pulled out of a few big occasions, left the field to be replaced by Adrian Mrowiec.

It was the visitors who broke the deadlock after 16 minutes, however, David Obua taking advantage of dilatory defending to rise unchallenged and firmly head home Danny Grainger's corner.

The Edinburgh club clearly hadn't read the script and, nine minutes later, Rangers had cause to be grateful to Allan McGregor's reflexes.

John Sutton sent David Templeton clearand it required a fine save from the Scotland goalkeeper to turn the winger's shot behind.

While Rangers struggled to put together a cohesive assault on their opponents' goal, Hearts, well-organised and playing with confidence, squandered another opening in the 34th minute when David Obua, released by Templeton's incisive pass, sliced his shot behind the advancing McGregor but into the side netting.

Even when Steven Naismith managed to get on the end of a knockdown from Jelavic, Ian Black was there to nick the ball away before he could pull the trigger.

Lee Wallace, Rangers' £1.5 million signing from Hearts on Thursday, was on the bench but the home support was given their first look at Spanish midfielder Juan Manuel Ortiz and they didn't like what they saw.

The Spaniard appeared one-paced and, inspite of seeing a lot of the ball, was unable to go past his direct opponent, Ryan McGowan.

Kello was called into action for the first time in the 48th minute when he pushed away a header from Kirk Broadfoot and the Slovakian did equally well to block an effort from Naismith, although the latter shot wastefully over from point-blank range in the 49th minute.

Rangers had increased the tempo of their game but their 57th-minute equaliser was all down to the determination of Kirk Broadfoot, who won the ball on the half-way line and then surged forward to supply the cross which Naismith nodded home from six yards.

Those expecting the floodgates to open were disappointed.

Rangers should have been galvanised by the goal but, inexplicably, they reverted to their first-half form and it required an outstanding save from McGregor, turning over a dipping 25-yarder from Obua, to prevent Hearts from regaining the lead.

Sasa Papac could have won it in the 89th minute. He found himself with only Kello to beat after playing a wall pass with Jelavic, but his shot carried no conviction and was easily gathered.

"To come here and play as well as that should give us a lift," said Hearts manager Jim Jefferies, whose side travel to Hungary to face Paksi in a Europa League qualifying round on Thursday.

Rangers (4-4-1-1): McGregor; Whittaker, Biougherra, Broadfoot, Papac; Davis, Edu, McCulloch, Ortiz (Wylde76): Naismith; Jelavic.
Subs: Alexander (g), Fleck, Wallace, Healy, Bendiksen, Hemmings.
Booked: McCulloch.

Hearts (4-4-2): Kello; McGowan, Webster (Mrowiec 8), Zaliukas, Grainger; Taouil, Jonsson, Black (Stevenson81), Templeton (Elliott 51); Obua, Sutton.
Subs: Balogh (g), Novikovas, Smith, Robinson.
Booked: Zaliukas.

Referee: C Murray.

Taken from telegraph.co.uk