Aberdeen beat Rangers at Ibrox as pressure continues to build on Beale

Aberdeen have beat Rangers at Ibrox as pressure continues to build on under-fire manager Michael Beale.

Stefan Gartenmann opened the scoring for the visitors in the first-half before Jamie McGrath doubled the lead with just over 20 minutes to go.

Scott Wright was then sent off as Rangers were reduced to ten-men before Abdallah Sima threw them a lifeline by making it 2-1 with 15 minutes to go.

But Jack McKenzie put the game beyond doubt when he made it 3-1 with five minutes to go.

The Ibrox side remain in third place as a result, three points behind second placed St Mirren, who drew 1-1 with Kilmarnock, and seven behind league leaders Celtic.

The Hoops scored an injury-time winner to beat Motherwell at Fir Park in Saturday’s early game.

MacKenzie, Leighton Clarkson and Dante Polvara all came into the Aberdeen side but in a high-tempo start to the game, Gers striker Cyriel Dessers, in for injured Kemar Roofe, missed a great chance in the fourth minute when he ballooned a pin-point pass from skipper James Tavernier over the bar from 12 yards.

Midfielder Sam Lammers then shot wide from the edge of the box before attacker Sima headed a Jose Cifuentes cross past the near post.

In the 20th minute Aberdeen keeper Kelle Roos made a fine save from Dessers’ close-range header.

Despite Rangers having almost total control, the home fans became increasingly grumpy, their mood not helped when Cifuentes missed a Tavernier cross right in front of goal.

And when Gartenmann, on a season-long loan from Midtjylland, escaped to the back post unmarked to knock in Clarkson’s corner from the left, the mood among the Light Blues supporters got worse.

Wright replaced Ryan Jack and Ridvan Yilmaz made way for Borna Barisic for the start of the second half as Beale looked for a route back amid growing anxiety.

In the 52nd minute Roos parried a low Barisic drive but inside a packed Dons penalty area the visitors scooped the loose ball away to safety.

Aberdeen were growing in confidence and, at the other end, striker Bojan Miovski headed a Clarkson cross against the post.

There was little fluency or tempo about Rangers and there was worse to come following a few seconds of pinball inside the Gers box, with Rangers players blocking various attempts before McGrath hammered the ball past keeper Jack Butland.

It was all going wrong for Rangers and former Aberdeen player Wright, booked earlier for a tackle on MacKenzie, saw yellow again for a foul on Gartenmann.

The depleted home side were handed a lifeline when Sima slotted in from close range after Cifuentes had poked a loose ball back across the goalmouth but MacKenzie soon restored the two goal lead – confirmed after a long VAR check – when he drove in off the bar after Aberdeen again had the Gers defence in disarray.

Beale’s position as manager is now under doubt with a growing number of the club’s support unhappy with performances this season.

They were booed of the park last week despite winning 1-0 against Motherwell at Ibrox and the stadium was almost empty as Saturday’s game reached the finish line.

Aberdeen on the other hand continue their resurgence under Barry Robson with a third consecutive win coming hot on the heels of an impressive performance, despite a 2-1 defeat, in Frankfurt.

They now jump up to seventh in the league with eight points from seven games.