Motherwell 1 Rangers 2: Tillman and Lundstrum sink Steelmen despite late rally

Motherwell slipped to defeat in the Premiership for the fourth time in five games as title-chasing Rangers struck twice in the second half to claim victory at Fir Park.

Both sides went into the clash with depleted squads but Rangers eventually found the energy to rally from their 7-1 annihilation at the hands of Liverpool in the Champions League and go back to within two points of Celtic at the top of the table.

The Steelmen kept Rangers at bay during a dire first half, but a moment of magic from Malik Tillman and a John Lundstrum header put the visitors 2-0 up before Stuart McKinstry's free-kick going into the final 10 minutes proved to be just a consolation for Steven Hammell's men.

Motherwell, who stay eighth in the table, were looking for a home league win over the Light Blues for the first time in nearly 20 years, but that wait will go on a little longer.

Motherwell made three changes from last week's 1-0 defeat away to Hibernian. Jo Efford, Blair Spittal and the suspended Connor Shields dropped out of the squad completely to be replaced by Ross Tierney, Josh Morris and Stuart McKinstry.

And there was no place in the squad for Louis Moult either, with the striker missing through injury.

Meanwhile, van Bronckhorst rung the changes - though not as many as had been expected - following their nightmare 7-1 hammering at home to Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

They made three alterations and some were enforced by injury with Connor Goldson, who will be sidelined for months after his injury in the Liverpool loss, dropped out to be replaced by Leon King at the heart of the defence, while Ryan Jack made way for Malik Tillman afterhe hobbled off in midweek. Fashion Sakala fell to the bench with Rabbi