Match ends, Alloa Athletic 1, Rangers 1.
AlloaAlloa Athletic1RangersRangers1
Scottish Championship leaders Rangers were held to a surprise draw by bottom club Alloa Athletic.
The Ibrox side were utterly dominant for long periods but a mixture of wastefulness and inspired goalkeeping from Scott Gallacher kept them at bay.
Jason Marr's headed goal from an Alloa corner looked like it might give the home side a shock win.
But Rangers eventually levelled after relentless pressure, Michael O'Halloran netting his first goal for the club.
The result will give Alloa renewed hope as they struggle to keep their second-tier status intact. Jack Ross's side are now nine points from safety.
All the talk before the game was about the pitch, which had recently been narrowed by nine yards. It gave the game a congested feel, but it was a lively start.
After an early Harry Forrester effort went wide for Rangers, Alloa went up the other end and Ryan Finnie's drilled effort flew past the post.
Forrester would go closer soon after, but his effort hit the post. Team-mate Jason Holt also struck the frame of the goal after neat interplay with Barrie McKay.
Rangers were in complete control of the match with their quick passing game causing Alloa plenty of problems, but too often they were guilty of over-playing in the final third.
A lack of precision was also in evidence as a back-heeled effort from Martyn Waghorn went wide of the post from just a few yards out.
The same pattern continued early in the second half, with Rangers creating chances and failing to take them. Holt had an effort well smothered by Gallacher. Andy Halliday then fired in a shot from the edge of the box, but again it was wide of goal.
Alloa would make Rangers pay for their profligacy. First a Dougie Hill header was tipped over by Wes Foderingham and, from the resultant corner, Marr's header found the net.
Substitute Billy King stung the palms of Gallacher with a near-post effort, but there was a certain flatness from the visitors as Rangers struggled to find a response. Danny Wilson managed to fire a shot through the congested ranks of Alloa defenders, but again Gallacher made the save.
Eventually Rangers found an equaliser, and it came from recent signing O'Halloran. An earlier effort from the former St Johnstone player had been well saved by Gallacher, but there was nothing the Alloa keeper could do about the strike which the forward fired into the net, much to the relief of the massed ranks of Rangers fans behind the goal.
A winner almost came, James Tavernier's header brilliantly tipped over by Gallacher.
Line-ups
Alloa
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 41Gallacher
- 19Finnie
- 6MarrBooked at 62mins
- 3Hill
- 5Hamilton
- 8O'Brien
- 14McManus
- 7Duffy
- 18HetheringtonSubstituted forMcAuslandat 75'minutes
- 23Megginson
- 17LayneSubstituted forHolmesat 70'minutes
Substitutes
- 2McAusland
- 4Reintam
- 10Holmes
- 11Ferns
- 20Williams
- 21Crawford
- 24Hynd
Rangers
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 25Foderingham
- 2Tavernier
- 4Kiernan
- 27Wilson
- 5Wallace
- 16Halliday
- 19McKay
- 23HoltSubstituted forKingat 65'minutes
- 15ForresterSubstituted forMillerat 73'minutes
- 29O'Halloran
- 33WaghornSubstituted forClarkat 65'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Bell
- 6Ball
- 7Law
- 8Zelalem
- 9Miller
- 14Clark
- 17King
- Referee:
- Don Robertson
- Attendance:
- 3,100
Match Stats
Home TeamAlloaAway TeamRangers
- Possession
- Home29%
- Away71%
- Shots
- Home3
- Away25
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away10
- Corners
- Home2
- Away23
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Alloa Athletic 1, Rangers 1.
Post update
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Mitchel Megginson.
Post update
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Colin Hamilton.
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Corner, Alloa Athletic. Conceded by James Tavernier.
Post update
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Colin Hamilton.
Post update
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Scott Gallacher.
Post update
Attempt saved. James Tavernier (Rangers) header from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Post update
Attempt saved. James Tavernier (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Post update
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Burton O'Brien.
Post update
Attempt missed. Andy Halliday (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.
Post update
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Mitchel Megginson.
Post update
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Burton O'Brien.
Post update
Attempt blocked. James Tavernier (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Goal!
Goal! Alloa Athletic 1, Rangers 1. Michael O'Halloran (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by James Tavernier.
Post update
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Ryan Finnie.
Post update
Attempt saved. Michael O'Halloran (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Billy King (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Ryan Finnie (Alloa Athletic).
Post update
Foul by Barrie McKay (Rangers).
