Celtic 1 - 1 Rangers Sun 03/01/10

Lee McCulloch's dramatic late equaliser in the Old Firm derby at Parkhead kept Rangers seven points clear at the top of the SPL.

After the home side had missed numerous chances and had a Marc-Antoine Fortune goal ruled out by referee Steve Conroy in the first half for his foul on Ibrox keeper Allan McGregor, Scott McDonald came off the bench to open the scoring with a 79th-minute header which looked off-side.

However, two minutes later, in a Rangers attack, McCulloch headed a Steven Davis corner past Artur Boruc to give the visitors a welcome point.

The hosts dominated most of the first half, missing a few chances.

Following a sliced shot by Aiden McGeady which spun high in to the air, the Celtic striker had the ball in the net after a clear foul on McGregor on the goal-line.

However, to the anger of the home side and their supporters, Conroy, refereeing his first Old Firm game, pointed for a free-kick for Rangers.

On the half-hour, midfielder Barry Robson volleyed high over from eight yards out after latching onto a Fortune knock-down.

Moments later, Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty was booked for a late challenge on Celtic right-back Andreas Hinkel.

As the game became increasingly hostile, Light Blues skipper David Weir brought down Georgios Samaras at the edge of the box and would have been happy to see McGregor making a comfortable save from Danny Fox's free-kick.

Then, in the 36th minute, Robson headed a Hinkel cross off the top of the bar but McGregor had the goal covered if it had been on target, before McGeady missed from even closer range after another inviting cross from the Hoops defender.

Minutes from the break, Samaras burst through the Rangers defence only to side-foot his effort past the post.

Davis was put into a supporting role behind Kris Boyd for the start of the second half.

Rangers skipper Weir lost possession when up for the Ibrox club's first corner of the game, Celtic broke with pace but the move ended when McGeady fired an angled shot wide of the target.

In the 51st minute McGeady missed another glaring chance, shooting high over from 12 yards after a Maurice Edu mistake had granted the home side easy possession.

Rangers had stemmed the tide a little but presented their hosts with an opportunity in the 67th minute defender when Sasa Papac fouled Robson 20 yards from goal.

However, the former Inverness and Dundee United player drove the resultant free-kick over the bar before Samaras, on the break, fired a weak drive at McGregor.

McDonald replaced midfielder Marc Crosas with 20 minutes remaining and in the 79th minute the substitute showed his team-mates the way to goal.

McGeady twisted and turned on the edge of the box before floating a cross in and the Australia international headed past McGregor from less than six yards out but should have been ruled out for off-side.

It looked all over for Rangers but two minutes later McCulloch headed a Davis' corner from the right past Boruc and sparked celebrations among the Rangers support.

Moments later, as Celtic pressed again, McGregor produced a world-class save from Samaras, tipping the Greek striker's goalbound shot over the bar.

The game fizzled out and it was those in Light Blue who celebrated a significant result.

Teams

RANGERS: McGregor; Broadfoot, Weir, Wilson, Papac, Davis, McCulloch, Whittaker, Novo (Edu 12), Boyd, Lafferty,

Subs: Alexander, Smith, Fleck, Little, Ness, Wylde,

Celtic: Boruc; Hinkel, Loovens, Caldwell, Fox; Robson, N'Guemo, Crosas (McDonald 71), McGeady; Samaras, Fortune,

Subs: Zaluska, McManus, McGinn, Zheng, Thompson, Caddis

Ref: S Conroy

Man-of-the-match: Davis

Attendance: 58,300