Rangers bounce back from Liverpool defeat with 2-1 win at Motherwell

Rangers recovered from their midweek European defeat to beat Motherwell 2-1 in their Premiership clash at Fir Park.

Malik Tillman and John Lundstram both scored in the second half to put Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side in control before Motherwell’s Stuart McKinstry found the net to reduce the deficit.

The result kept Rangers two points behind Celtic in the title race and was a boost after the disappointment of a record 7-1 home defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League.

Van Bronckhorst made three changes to his side from the midweek match, bringing in Leon King, Malik Tillman and Rabbi Matondo to replace Connor Goldson, Ryan Jack and Ryan Kent.

After a hard-fought first half in which neither side could find the net, Tillman put Rangers ahead in the 53rd minute.

The on-loan attacker collected the ball just inside the Motherwell half and went on a run that took him past opposition defenders before he finished past goalkeeper Liam Kelly.

Lundstram added Rangers’ second just over 15 minutes later. Borna Barisic crossed from the left and the midfielder connected with the ball with head and shoulder to force the ball over the line.

Motherwell got back into the game 13 minutes from time when McKinstry scored his first goal for the club. The winger, on loan at Fir Park from Leeds United, stepped up to deliver a free-kick that whistled past Allan McGregor and into the top corner of the net.

Both sides had chances to add to the scoring in the final minutes but Rangers took all three points to put their European misery behind them and set up for this week’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final against Dundee.