Rangers 2 - 1 Inverness CT Sat 17/12/11

A dramatic late strike by substitute Kyle Lafferty gave Rangers an undeserved victory against Inverness to take them seven points clear of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

When Light Blues defender Carlos Bocanegra shot the home side into the lead in the 55th minute it looked like they would go and make the result more comfortable.

However, the Highlanders fought back ferociously and former Rangers midfielder Andrew Shinnie, on as substitute for Greg Tansey, levelled.

They were made to pay in the when Lafferty, on for Alejandro Bedoya early in the second half, struck with eight minutes remaining to ease the nerves and increase the gap over their Old Firm rivals who play at St Johnstone tomorrow.

Rangers have been unconvincing in recent weeks and their fans will have left Ibrox aware that they were let off the hook.

Bedoya and defender Sasa Papac came into the Rangers side at the expense of Dorin Goian, who failed to recover from a fever and Lee McCulloch, who started on the bench along with striker Lafferty who returned from a back injury.

Caley boss Terry Butcher made three changes with Lee Cox, Gregory Tade and Graeme Shinnie coming in for injured Chris Hogg, suspended David Davis and Andrew Shinnie, who was named substitute.

In the third minute Caley midfielder Cox stole into the Rangers box but failed to catch his shot properly, the ball spinning harmlessly wide.

In the 10th minute the Light Blues threatened for the first time and Caley keeper Ryan Esson made a terrific save to deny defender Steven Whittaker, who met a Gregg Wylde cross from eight yards out to power a header down towards the bottom corner.

There was not a great deal of creativity from the Ibrox men which began to irk the home support as they surveyed another possible afternoon of frustration.

The home side's corner count slowly mounted, though and in the 28th minute top scorer Nikica Jelavic headed Wylde's corner from the right over the bar but still the Highlanders refused to be cowed.

After Papac was robbed by Tansey, Cox went down the right and drove the ball across the box and the home fans were glad to see Bartley clear the danger.

Jelavic had to stretch at the back post to reach a searching Wylde cross from the left but the ball fell into the arms of Esson.

McCulloch replaced Maurice Edu for the start of the second half and within three minutes Bedoya and Jelavic got into a tangle as they attacked a Lee Wallace cross and the chance was gone.

Lafferty came on for the injured Bedoya in the 52nd minute and the home side stepped up the pace which brought its reward three minutes later.

When Wallace crossed into the box Jelavic chested down for defender Bocanegra to slam the ball in from close range. On the hour mark Lafferty escaped the attention of the Caley defence to go through on Esson but the Northern Ireland international slipped his side-footed shot just past the far post.

The champions were in total control and in the 63rd minute Papac sent a spectacular drive from 30 yards crashing off the Caley bar.

In controversial circumstances Caley Thistle equaliser, Rangers had waited for Caley Thistle to play the ball out of play with Jelavic lying injured in the Caley Thistle half after a bad tackle by Roman Golobart.

They decided to play on and made Rangers pay for that decision when in the 67th minute there was a shock for the home side when Tade raced down the left and cut the ball back for substitute Andrew Shinnie and the former Rangers player side-footed the ball past McGregor from eight yards.

The Rangers palyers were furious that the ball was not put out of play as they had sat back witing for that to happen.

In the 70th minute Foran had the ball in the net from an Andrew Shinnie free-kick but the flag was up for offside before he headed it in. Then in the 77th minute McKay rounded McGregor and from an acute angle his shot went into the side netting.

Caley's Jonny Hayes went round McGregor and had a close-range shot cleared off the line by Wallace, before McGregor had to save from McKay with the home defence in disarray.

But in the 82nd minute, and against the run of play, Lafferty ran onto a Steven Davis pass and knocked the ball past Esson.

Teams

RANGERS: McGregor, Whittaker, Bocanegra, Bartley, Wallace; Davis, Edu (McCulloch 45), Papac (Bendiksen 78), Wylde, Bedoya (Lafferty 52), Jelavic,

Subs:  Alexander, Broadfoot, McKay, McCabe,

Inverness CT: Esson, Tokely, Cox, G. Shinnie, Hayes, Tansey (A. Shinnie 60), Foran, Tade, Golobart, McKay (Sutherland 85), Gillet,

Subs: Tuffey, Piermayr, Ross, Morrison,

Ref: B Madden

Man-of-the-match: Bocanegra

Attendance: 43,701