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6 days ago
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Max Aarons scored a stoppage-time winner as the embattled Rangers manager, Russell Martin, eked out his first Scottish Premiership victory in six attempts with a 2-1 triumph away to Livingston.
James Tavernier had put Rangers in front midway through the first half but the captain blew the chance to extend their lead when he had a penalty saved by Lions goalkeeper Jerome Prior. The hosts capitalised on this reprieve to equalise through Mo Sylla after the break, leaving Rangers staring at the prospect of a sixth league game without a win.
But substitute Aarons popped up in the dying moments to elevate the Light Blues from 11th to eighth in the table and ensure some form of reprieve for Martin, who was again the subject of vociferous calls for his sacking throughout the afternoon from a huge travelling support in West Lothian.
The Livingston manger, David Martindale, made three changes to the side that started the 3-2 defeat at Dundee as Andy Winter, Stevie May and debutant Mo Susoho – on loan from Manchester City – replaced Shane Blaney, Tete Yengi and Robbie Muirhead.
There were also three changes to the Rangers side following Thursday’s Europa League defeat by Genk as Connor Barron, Oliver Antman and Bojan Miovski started in place of Mohamed Diomandé, Mikey Moore and Youssef Chermiti.
The visitors had an early opportunity when Djeidi Gassama cut in from the left and saw his shot blocked behind for a corner. Livi soon cranked up the intensity, though, and Lewis Smith shot wide from just outside the box before May burst into the box and saw a low shot from a tight angle saved by Jack Butland.
Smith then curled an effort just wide from the edge of the box as the hosts continued to ask questions of their vulnerable visitors. Rangers had a great chance to open the scoring in the 12th minute when Nico Raskin cleverly flicked John Souttar’s pass in behind the defence, but Miovski blazed wastefully over the crossbar with just Prior to beat.
That opportunity aside, Gers were generally struggling to impose themselves and the first chants of “Martin get to fuck” and “Russell Martin, get out of our club” went up in the 16th minute. With tension rising in the stands, the under-fire Englishman would have been mightily relieved to see his side go ahead in the 23rd minute.
Gassama’s cross from the left was cushioned back into the danger area by Antman at the back post, and Tavernier hooked home an acrobatic volley from the edge of the six-yard box.
Rangers were presented with an opportunity to double their lead five minutes later when they were awarded a penalty after May grabbed Raskin’s jersey in the box following a Tavernier corner, but the captain’s well-struck spot-kick was superbly saved by Prior, who went on to deny Barron and Miovski with smart stops.
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Tavernier’s deliveries were causing problems for Livingston and it looked like his free-kick from the right had led to a second goal when Derek Cornelius fired home in the 43rd minute, but the celebrations were halted when a VAR review detected a handball from the Canadian.
Rangers’ defensive fragility was exposed in the 68th minute when Sylla headed home Adam Montgomery’s inswinging free-kick from the right, sparking regular waves of chants against the manager from the away fans as the clock ran down.
Aarons eased the pressure when he turned in from close range after Raskin had helped on Tavernier’s corner to secure the Light Blues’ first away win in the league since 29 March. Despite the victory, Martin remained on the end of audible ire from Rangers’ travelling support after the full-time whistle.
