Livingston fall to Rangers defeat thanks to James Tavernier set-piece double

A spirited Livingston were undone by a pair of set-piece goals as they went down 3-0 at home to Rangers.

Coming off an abysmal display in their Scottish Cup exit to Inverness the previous week, it was imperative that they upped their game and while they did that against Michael Beale's men they paid the price for some ill discipline.

A first-half penalty and late free-kick from James Tavernier had the points wrapped up for the Ibrox side before Kemar Roofe scrambled home a third with five minutes remaining.

The skipper's first arrived on 24 minutes following a needless shirt pull inside the box from James Penrice on Alfredo Morelos while the second came as a result of a challenge on the edge of the area that saw Stephane Omeonga harshly dismissed for a second yellow card.

Roofe wrapped the scoring up on 85 minutes as he bundled home from close range.

The game settled into a predictable pattern of Rangers enjoying plenty of the ball but a sturdy Livi defensive display limited their chances.

Tavernier tried his luck from distance early on but failed to test Shamal George in the Livi goal. The Gers had the ball in the net on 10 minutes when Fashion Sakala neatly turned home an Alfredo Morelos cross but the striker was flagged for offside.

The hosts gave Rangers a helping hand on 24 minutes, however, when following a lengthy VAR check, the away side were awarded a penalty after James Penrice was ruled to have pulled the jersey of Morelos. Up stepped Tavernier with the skipper sending George the wrong way to break the deadlock.

Chances were few and far between but with Livi able to get into the half-time interval with no further damage. They had George to thank for not being further behind just three minutes after the