With Lasley back in the team Motherwell were able to field the preferred opening eleven and from the outset it was clear that pre-match talk of a defensive start was off the mark. We pushed forward at every opportunity and got a reward in five minutes when Humphrey charged down the right wing and cut along the bye line leaving Perry behind. His cut back gave Ojamaa a simple conversion.
Rangers pulled one back within three minutes. Whittaker took a pot shot from around 27 yards and with Randolph on the wrong foot the ball swerved away into the net to the keeper's right.
Ian Brines became the centre of attention with a couple of decisions that went in our favour. Clancy was luck to see only a yellow following a silly altercation with Whittaker and later he choose to book Aluko for simulation when a penalty might easily have been awarded.
The game raged from end to end and both sets of players would have been grateful for the relief afforded by the half-time whistle. McGregor made a couple of brilliant saves - the first following a cracking effort from Lasley and the second from a 15 yard volley from Higdon.
The game seemed to be headed for a draw and in the closing minutes Randolph produced an instinctive one handed stop from close range. Sadly the ball was cleared for a throw in and we did not deal with it. McCulloch poked it into the net from the six yard line and the game was lost. It was a cruel end and hardly deserved.
After the match McCall described himself as "gutted" and suggested that a draw would have been a fair result. The players should take heart at the improved performance and will need to take it with them to Easter Road next week for the last game before the split.