Celtic stay top after Rangers draw

Inverness 1 Rangers 1

Rangers passed up an opportunity to regain the lead in the race for the Bank of Scotland Premier League title with a lacklustre performance against Inverness.

Alex McLeish’s title chasers had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Pittodrie, a result that means champions Celtic, who won 2-1 at home to Hibernian yesterday, remain a point clear.

The afternoon was pleasing for new Caley manager Craig Brewster – a former player under McLeish at Hibernian – who took his place in the Pittodrie dug-out his club have borrowed for home games this season for the first time.

The loss of two points was not the only blow Rangers suffered either as star defender Jean-Alain Boumsong was forced off injured in the first half.

Rangers had tasted defeat for the first time in 17 games in the UEFA Cup at Alkmaar on Thursday night when the home side hit them with an early goal and this time Caley struck even more promptly.

Just three minutes were on the clock when Caley, fresh from clearing a corner, netted through Graham Bayne to complete an impressive counter-attack.

Richie Hart supplied the cross from the right and Bayne, having lost his marker, arrived to guide it past Stefan Klos on the volley from eight yards out to net his fourth goal of the season.

Brewster had opted to begin without top scorer Barry Wilson in the expectation of an afternoon when defensive qualities would be needed and his players carried out the rookie boss’ instructions to perfection for most of the 90 minutes.

Threatening moments from the away side were only intermittent and Dado Prso, having beaten three men with some excellent control, found he could not beat former Rangers goalkeeper Mark Brown from a tight angle after all that good work.

Corner after corner was repelled by the Caley defence, who were using Juanjo as a regular outlet.

The tricky Spaniard was fouled twice in quick succession by full debutant Steven Smith, the 19-year-old having been handed his first start to avoid Michael Ball using up all his games before a £500,000 payment to Everton is triggered.

With Peter Lovenkrands out with a hamstring injury Hamed Namouchi was restored to the starting line-up and Stephen Hughes given a rare run-out in midfield to give Alex Rae a rest.

Rae was on the pitch on the half-hour mark however as Rangers had to regroup following the loss of Boumsong. The Frenchman had taken a knock in a challenge and the effects were all too obvious when Bayne was able to out-pace him and fire in a shot that Klos did well to get behind.

Bob Malcolm switched to centre-back as the first 45 minutes ended tamely – to Caley’s satisfaction.

McLeish opted to make another change at the break with 18-year-old Bob Davidson coming on for his second first-team stint in place of Namouchi.

Within six minutes Rangers were level when Hughes threaded a pass through the Caley backline to allow Prso to canter goalwards and beat Brown at his near post with a well-weighted low finish.

Davidson then headed over as Rangers looked more energetic than at any point in the previous 45 minutes.

Having taken his season goal tally into double figures, Prso then fired over on the turn from eight yards before Caley took off Roy McBain, who had returned to the side following a back injury, and sent on Richard Hastings in the 64th minute.

Caley could have been back ahead three minutes later when Juanjo sent Liam Keogh into a shooting position on the left of the box. But Klos had come out to meet him and was able to make a vital block with his legs.

The referee had enjoyed a controversy-free afternoon but nevertheless had a big decision to make in the 69th minute when Prso, set free by Malcolm’s through-ball, went down in the box under Darren Dods’ challenge.

The Croatian beat the turf in frustration when he realised no penalty had been awarded, while Dods took the opportunity to yell at him to get up and carry on with the game.

Bayne was booked in the 75th minute for blocking a Fernando Ricksen free-kick when he was not 10 yards away but the Dutchman’s second attempt was blocked by the same player as the minutes began to tick away for the title chasers.

Nacho Novo had been very quiet but was close to providing a late winner when he cut inside from the left and curled an effort just wide.

Wilson came on for Caley with nine minutes remaining, replacing Hart, who had just been booked for a foul on Smith.

Another chance came Novo’s way with two minutes remaining but the Spaniard, who had previously fired against Brown’s legs from an offside position, could only repeat the same action when set up in front of goal by Prso.

It was to prove his side’s last opportunity of the afternoon.