Motherwell 0-2 Rangers: Kenny Miller inspires Rangers to win

Kenny Miller struck again to inspire Rangers to a 2-0 win at Motherwell which moved them back up to second in the Scottish Premiership.

After scoring twice in the final six minutes to defeat the Fir Park side in the Scottish Cup last week, Miller netted again with 18 minutes remaining in Lanarkshire.

On-loan Bournemouth midfielder Emerson Hyndman then sealed a deserved success three minutes from the end with a well-taken second.

Rangers got their victory having rallied after they had Michael O'Halloran sent off just five minutes into the contest for a reckless studs-up challenge on Carl McHugh.

Parity was restored on that front before the half-hour mark when home player Scott McDonald was also dismissed for crashing into Miller's ankle.

Rangers then pulled clear in the second half and are now unbeaten in 36 league fixtures against Motherwell and are now two points beyond third-top Aberdeen, who have a game in hand.

The hosts started brightly and their cause was helped considerably when O'Halloran received the first red card of his career for a clumsy foul on McHugh.

After taking the Motherwell midfielder out, referee Willie Collum had no option but to dismiss him and the home team set about trying to build on that quickly.

A quick yellow card for central defender Rob Kiernan could have left Rangers feeling nervy but they absorbed the pressure they faced fairly well.

McDonald just failed to connect with Chris Cadden's teasing cross, then was just off target with a shot, had a header held and somehow poked wide from a couple of yards out.

While he could not make a breakthrough, the Australian was Motherwell's best outlet and losing him 27 minutes in was arguably a bigger blow for them than O'Halloran's dismissal was for Rangers.

Again, as had been the case with the first ordering off, there was little to debate after McDonald had crunched into Miller's ankle with his studs.

The Rangers forward was fortunate not to sustain a more serious injury and Collum once more took the only action he could.

Suddenly the visitors looked more lively and Hyndman's shot was saved by Craig Samson before Stephen McManus reacted really well to block Barrie McKay.

Rangers took their growing momentum into the second half and were much more dominant, with Craig Clay hacking clear after Lee Wallace's shot looked destined to go in.

Jon Toral also had a glancing header touched away and substitute Martyn Waghorn's attempt was deflected behind before Mark Warburton's team finally went in front.

Miller's goal itself was a tap in but the build-up was terrific, with Hyndman threading a good pass to Wallace after a neat one-two before Waghorn scuffed his shot and his strike colleague mopped up.

Substitute Harry Forrester could have made it two after Miller left a square ball for him to steer goalwards but Samson was at full stretch to keep it out.

Instead, it was Hyndman who made sure of the win as he capped a fine individual performance by steadying himself after receiving a Josh Windass pass and finishing low from 15 yards.