Inverness CT vs Rangers. Scottish Premiership.
Tulloch Caledonian StadiumAttendance6,415.
Monday 27 February 2017 10:13, UK
Inverness moved off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership as they piled more pressure on Rangers with a dramatic 2-1 win over the Ibrox club.
Greg Tansey gave the Highlanders a first-half lead but Martyn Waghorn's penalty equaliser looked to have secured a point apiece.
But after Iain Vigurs' late penalty was saved by Wes Foderingham, Billy Mckay's spectacular overhead kick a minute from the end gave Inverness just their fourth league win of the season.
For Rangers, the turmoil in the aftermath of Mark Warburton's departure two weeks ago goes on and they have now taken just five points from their last possible 21.
Under caretaker manager Graeme Murty, they now face the possibility of falling nine points behind second-top Aberdeen on Saturday - and a massive 33 behind their Old Firm rivals Celtic.
Sorely in need of a win to spark their season back to life, the visitors began brightly and Kenny Miller, Emerson Hyndman and Barrie McKay all had early attempts saved.
Inverness have also been out of sorts lately - winning only once in their last 16 games in all competitions before this one - and they sat deep at first.
They eventually came forward, however, and Jake Mulraney's drive was briefly on target before it deflected wide for a corner.
The fact both teams have been struggling magnified their requirements for a win and that made for an open contest.
James Tavernier cut out Tansey's loose pass and fed Miller before going for the return, only to see the striker take on a long-range attempt and fire well over.
As has often been the case this season, Rangers saw plenty of the ball at times but lacked enough penetration in key areas.
Indeed, when they did catch sight of goal again they were not nearly sharp enough, with McKay heading glaringly over after a pinpoint Lee Wallace cross.
Waghorn then took aim as the break approached, curling a couple of yards wide from the edge of the area.
Mckay nearly made him pay for that, with some last-ditch Danny Wilson defending just enough to keep him out on two occasions.
Tansey was more successful, however, as he bent in from 25 yards past the unsighted Foderingham when Liam Polworth's shot was blocked.
It was the 12th time in 26 Premiership games Rangers had gone behind first and they needed a reaction after the restart.
Yet they were slow to respond, with Miller's cross-cum-shot which lifted over the upright their best offering for a while.
Hyndman and Tavernier were then denied in quick succession before Owain Fon Williams produced a good save to tip over from McKay.
For the first time, Rangers looked like a threat in the final third but Jon Toral snatched a shot across goal and off the edge of the post when it seemed he would finally draw them level.
At last, their pressure did pay off as Wallace was hacked down in the area as Louis Laing and Waghorn converted the resulting penalty to a defiant roar from the away support.
Suddenly at risk of being overrun, Inverness almost went in front again when Foderingham pushed away a rasping Tansey volley.
Waghorn, Hyndman and Tavernier all missed chances to win it for the visitors before Vigurs was kept out from the spot after Mckay was fouled by Danny Wilson.
The Northern Ireland cap has the final say though, sending his scissor kick soaring past Foderingham from close range to take Inverness past Hamilton in the table.
