Rangers move clear after second-half fireworks

Rangers moved three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League as four second-half goals helped them come from behind to defeat Motherwell 4-1 at Ibrox.

Motherwell, who had yet to concede away from home this season, looked shell-shocked as they lost four goals in 19 minutes as Rangers ran riot.

Nick Blackman had headed Motherwell ahead as Rangers trailed at the break for the third match running but Steven Naismith started the remarkable comeback just 90 seconds into the second-half.

A stunning strike from Steven Davis gave Rangers the lead in the 62nd minute before Kenny Miller’s 11th of the season and Vladimir Weiss sealed the win.

The win made it eight out of eight for the Gers whose Old Firm rivals Celtic are away to Dundee United on Sunday.

At Ibrox Neil Alexander came in for the suspended Allan McGregor while Kyle Lafferty was given the nod to partner Miller up front.

Naismith caused a scare early on when his low drive took a dangerous deflection off Keith Lasley but it went just wide.

Lafferty was next to try his luck when he cut in from the right and let fly with a shot from 20 yards which flew over.

Weiss showed some neat close control to get away from three Motherwell players who were surrounding him but his shot on the spin went harmlessly wide. It wasn’t all one-way traffic and when a loose ball broke to the unmarked Lasley deep in the Rangers box the Northern Ireland captain should have done better than sending his volley wide.

Blackman then showed some fantastic footwork before firing over as Well looked dangerous going forward.

On the half-hour mark Steven Whittaker collected a pass on the by-line before cutting in and firing a low shot which Darren Randolph blocked with his legs and the defender then headed the rebound over.

With the break approaching Motherwell took advantage of some lapse defending to take the lead in the 44th minute. Jamie Murphy fired in a cross from the right and the unmarked Blackman rose to connect with a header from a couple of yards out which bounced off the underside of the bar and in.

It took Rangers just 90 seconds of the second-half to draw level. With the Motherwell defence all looking for off-side Naismith collected a Davis threaded pass and bundled the ball into the net from close range.

Motherwell had a rare chance on the hour mark after some good build up but Steven Jennings was well off target with his shot.

However two minutes later Davis fired Rangers ahead. The Northern Irishman drove at the retreating Motherwell defence before sending a superb rising shot into the top corner of the net from 18 yards.

Motherwell had barely time to regroup when Miller increased the lead in the 65th minute as he sent a diving header past Randolph after connecting with Naismith’s cross from the left.

The rout was completed a minute later when Weiss scored his first for Rangers. The Slovakian played a neat one-two with Lafferty before rounding Randolph and slotting home to make it 4-1.

Elsewhere St Johnstone drew 1-1 with Inverness Caledonian Thistle, St Mirren stayed bottom as their game with Hamilton ended 2-2, Hearts won 1-0 away to Aberdeen and Hibernian defeated Kilmarnock 2-1.