Report: Rangers 3 – St Johnstone 2

Emerson Hyndman's stoppage-time winner handed 10-man Rangers their first win in over a month as they edged out St Johnstone 3-2 at Ibrox.

Barrie McKay and Martyn Waghorn put Gers ahead but Saints looked to have rescued a point when David Wotherspoon and Steven Anderson hit back for Tommy Wright's men.

But Gers - a man down after defender Rob Kiernan was dismissed for a dangerous tackle - grabbed a morale-boosting win as on-loan Bournemouth playmaker Hyndman sank Saints at the death.

The result sees the Light Blues cut second-placed Aberdeen's lead to six points, while Saints missed the chance to overtake Hearts in third.

Murty recalled Clint Hill and Jason Holt in an attempt to shake some life back into Gers after they lost to both Dundee and Inverness.

The alterations had the desired impact early on as Rangers started with the kind of positive surge that was badly lacking in recent weeks.

But the Ibrox faithful could be forgiven for thinking they were in for another evening of disappointment as Hyndman twice lashed wide while Jon Toral also wasted a decent headed opportunity inside the opening 15 minutes.

This remains a Light Blues line-up whose reserves of confidence are perilously fragile, a fact underlined when on-loan Arsenal midfielder Toral gifted possession straight to Saints hitman Steven MacLean despite being under no pressure at all.

The Spaniard's relief as MacLean sliced wide was clear for all to see.

With Gers needing a goal to calm fraying nerves, McKay delivered on 22 minutes, arrowing a fine first-time strike into the bottom corner after the ball broke to him from Lee Wallace.

Within seconds of the goal, though, there was another warning as Blair Alston fizzed wide, but Zander Clark did well to push away a curling Holt effort just before the break.

St Johnstone should have levelled within 90 seconds of the restart. Keith Watson put over a perfect cross from the right but Liam Craig somehow nodded wide from five yards out.

From that let-off, relieved Rangers took advantage as Waghorn doubled their lead on 48 minutes, darting across the front post to flick home Kenny Miller's cross with his head.

Both sides made appeals for penalties, but referee Kevin Clancy waved away Waghorn's claim after a Brian Easton barge before booking Anderson for taking a dive at the feet of Wallace.

Substitute Joe Garner should have made it three moments after replacing Miller on 64 minutes but he somehow smashed the ball against the post from point-blank range.

With Gers taking their foot off the gas, that appeared to be a costly miss, especially when Wotherspoon gave them a jolt in the 74th minute as he swept the ball past Wes Foderingham to give Saints a lifeline.

And it was panic stations again 13 minutes from time as Kiernan was dismissed for a needless lunge on Graham Cummins before Anderson slotted home when Craig's corner broke to him three minutes from the end.

But Rangers regrouped for one last push. Danny Wilson launched the ball forward to Hill, with his knockdown dropping for Hyndman 18 yards out.

The American still had it all to do but he found the top corner with an emphatic finish.