Rangers battled back from two goals down to beat Kilmarnock 4-2 at Rugby Park as Barry Ferguson went through a turbulent first game as Gers’ interim boss.
The former Rangers captain was installed on Monday along with other ex-Ibrox men Billy Dodds, Neil McCann and Allan McGregor following the sacking of Philippe Clement after a 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren.
However, it was a case of new faces, old frailties as goals from defender Joe Wright and skipper Brad Lyons had Derek McInnes’ side two ahead in 14 minutes with the shell-shocked Ibrox side lucky not to concede further before defender Clinton Nsiala was substituted on the half-hour mark in a bid to stop the bleeding.
Vaclav Cerny pulled a goal back in the 35th minute and a brace from Cyriel Dessers after the break was followed by a breakaway fourth in the 84th minute by substitute Nedim Bajrami, although McInnes will feel his team let a win slip from their grasp.
The night ended with the Light Blues 13 points behind leaders Celtic at the top of the William Hill Premiership and the title all but gone, which will confirm a trophyless domestic season, although they are still in the Europa League with a last-16 tie against Fenerbahce to come next month.
There was huge interest around this game due to Ferguson, who kept the same personnel from the defeat against the Buddies, while Killie wide-man Danny Armstrong came in for Liam Donnelly with Kyle Magennis taking over from Liam Polworth.
Both goalkeepers made early saves, Jack Butland tipping a long-range effort from Lyons over the crossbar in the second minute before Rugby Park number one Kieran O’Hara brilliantly parried a volley from Gers striker Hamza Igamane.
The home side forced a series of corners and from an 11th-minute Fraser Murray delivery the unmarked Wright bulleted a header past Butland, with marker Robin Propper eased aside.
And three minutes later Lyons intercepted a short pass back from Gers midfielder Nicolas Raskin, moved forward and curled the ball from 20 yards past Butland.
The visitors were all over the place.
Killie striker Marley Watkins missed two great chances before Ferguson brought on Ridvan Yilmaz for Nsiala, with the Turkish left-back moving to right-back and skipper James Tavernier moving inside to partner Propper.
Dessers should have reduced the deficit in the 34th minute but his shot from four yards was blocked by defender Lewis Mayo,
But moments later Cerny slipped the ball under O’Hara after racing on to a Mohamed Diomande pass and Rangers were back in the game.
Killie wobbled until the break then came out re-energised, only to concede a second in the 53rd minute when Dessers headed past O’Hara from skipper James Tavernier’s dipping corner.
And the Nigeria striker put the rejuvenated visitors ahead in the 62nd minute when he took a searching Yilmaz pass and volleyed in from 16 yards, racing to the Gers fans behind the goal to celebrate.
The Ayrshire side responded and in the 76th minute Butland did well to push a bouncing shot from Corrie Ndaba away from danger, with O’Hara beating away a speculative drive from Igamane at the other end.
Minutes after coming off the bench and with the home defence wide open, Bajrami took a pass from Diomande and drove past O’Hara to seal the points that had looked unlikely after half an hour.
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