Rangers vs St. Johnstone. Scottish Premiership.
Ibrox StadiumAttendance46,563.
Wednesday 26 October 2016 23:39, UK
Rangers missed the chance to go third in the Scottish Premiership with a 1-1 draw at home to St Johnstone.
Blair Alston curled home an impressive early opener for the visitors, who stayed third after an impressive start to their league campaign under Tommy Wright.
Gers were looking to bounce back after losing Sunday's Scottish League Cup semi-final 1-0 to Celtic, but they could find the net only once through Joe Garner's equaliser late in the first half.
Gers freshened their lineup after the disappointment at Hampden park, with Wes Foderingham restored in goal and Garner, Harry Forrester and Michael O'Halloran forming a new-look attack.
Saints were forced into a late shuffle as Murray Davidson pulled up in the warm-up, with Chris Millar taking his slot, before Rangers Forrester came close to making an immediate impact, forcing Zander Clark into a diving stop just four minutes in.
But it was Foderingham who was picking the ball out of his next 60 seconds later after a blunder by full-back Lee Hodson, who hesitated to allow Alston to sweep home a fabulous looping strike into the top corner.
Gers response was positive, as skipper Lee Wallace slotted wide after Andy Halliday picked him out with a clever pass, and Jason Holt and Forrester had further, decent efforts on goal.
Saints came close to a second when another Hodson mistake gave Chris Kane a shooting chance, but Gers were growing increasingly dominant before Garner's equaliser.
The former Preston front-man got in front of Steven Anderson to bullet home a header from a Josh Windass set piece seven minutes from the break.
Foderingham had to produce a reflex save at the start of the second half to keep Rangers level after Danny Swanson's deflected strike came close to wrong-footing him, and Brian Easton, Liam Craig and Swanson were all able to fire efforts on goal as the home side wobbled.
A snap shot from Kane brought out another stop from Foderingham before a 25-yard strike from Forrester drifted wide at the other end.
Alston hit the base of the post 15 minutes from time and Gers substitute Kenny Miller almost gave his side a precious victory in the final minute, only for Saints' David Wotherspoon to clear his volley off the line.
