Macleod stunner gives Gers victory
Lewis Macleod's incredible overhead kick handed off-form Rangers some pride back as they beat Livingston 1-0 at the Energy Assets Arena.
The Ibrox men were dreadful as they lost three first-half goals to Hibernian on Monday but showed a measure of improvement as they kept themselves within six points of Scottish Championship leaders Hearts.
Macleod, who was returning after ankle problems saw him miss two weeks of action, netted his stunner after eight minutes.
It was a carbon-copy of the wonder goal he scored against Ayr United last term but Rangers blew a host of second-half chances to add to their score.
Kris Boyd in particular was guilty of a horror miss as his barren streak ran into its seventh game.
The Ibrox faithful also let themselves down after a section of fans in the corner between the North and East Stands appeared to clash with police midway through the first half and the club could now face punishment from the authorities.
A huge cloud has hung over Rangers since Monday's Hibs humiliation but Gers boss Ally McCoist insisted at his pre-match press conference the financial woes at Ibrox did not make him immune from the sack.
McCoist had declared he was "not bombproof" but the manager attempted to light a rocket under his side as he made five changes to his line-up.
Defender Bilel Mohsni was suspended after accepting a three-game ban for lashing out at the Leith outfit's Liam Fontaine, while Arnold Peralta and Stevie Smith paid the price for their part in Hibs' first two goals.
Dean Shiels and Darren McGregor also dropped out as Richard Foster, Marius Zaliukas, Fraser Aird and Nicky Clark joined Macleod in the starting XI.
But with the boos of the furious Light Blue support still ringing in the ears of the Rangers players five days on from Hibs' 3-1 win, the visitors were understandably nervy as they kicked-off.
And Livi almost capitalised on the indecision when Danny Mullen darted in between Lee McCulloch and Lee Wallace only to fire over from 20 yards out.
But Rangers' worries washed away when Macleod crashed his stunning opener beyond Darren Jamieson.
The hosts failed to clear Foster's throw-in beyond their box and paid the price as Ian Black lofted the loose ball to the back post where Macleod met it with acrobatic perfection.
Confidence seemed to be slowly seeping back into the Rangers display, and they almost added to their lead when Clark came close with a couple of half-chances
Livi, on the other hand, were forced into a change midway through the half after Craig Sives appeared to be knocked out cold when Nicky Law smashed a powerful hit straight into the defender's face from point-blank range.
Gary Glen was sent on as Sives was carried off on a stretcher but the former Hearts and Ross County striker could only muster a weak shot at Steve Simonsen as his first chance fell to him moments later from Zaliukas' slip.
It was the Lithuanian's last involvement though as a knock forced him off at the break, with McGregor his replacement.
Rangers should have doubled their advantage early in the second period, only for Boyd's miserable luck in front of goal to haunt him again.
The former Scotland striker has yet to net in the league this season but thought his wait was over when Clark and Foster combined to lay it on a plate for him six yards out.
Boyd's mortifying fresh-air swipe, however, summed up his afternoon and it was no surprise when he was hooked for Jon Daly soon after.
Clark had a bad miss of his own as he fired over from Wallace's deep cross to the back post.
A stunning save by Jamieson was required to keep out McCulloch's volley from 10 yards out but the Glasgow giants were in full command by this point.
However, they came mighty close to being pegged back when Callum Fordyce crashed a 30-yard volley into the side-netting after an hour, while Jordan White screwed one wide soon after.
There was another scare when Black had to clear off his own goal-line after White looped a header over Simonsen.
But Clark and Daly missed further chances to embellish the result in the final 10 minutes as Rangers crawled over the line.
Source: PA
