Thelo Aasgaard scores as Rangers edge past Motherwell at Ibrox

Rangers leapfrogged Motherwell into third place in the William Hill Premiership with Thelo Aasgaard scoring the only goal of a lively game at Ibrox.

Gers keeper Jack Butland and his Well counterpart Calum Ward both made crucial saves before and after the Norway international broke the deadlock in the 67th minute with a tap-in to end the Steelmen’s eight-game unbeaten run.

With league leaders Hearts losing 3-2 to Hibernian earlier in the day and second-placed Celtic winning 4-2 at Livingston, Rangers are nine points behind the Jambos with a game in hand, six behind their Old Firm rivals and two ahead of Motherwell, who had their chances to take something from Govan.

Danny Rohl’s side had lost only two domestic games this season – both to Hearts – but last week’s 2-1 defeat at Tynecastle had dampened title hopes among the Light Blue legions, who witnessed a clunky start from their side

The visitors moved with purpose and pace and in the 12th minute Butland’s foot blocked an angled drive from Lukas Fadinger who had been set up by Tom Sparrow before the Gers keeper saved again from Callum Hendry, who was played in by Ibrahim Said.

Ibrox growled in frustration.

Well keeper Ward had an easy time of it until the 20th minute when he made a double save, first from midfielder Connor Barron’s drive from the edge of the box then Djeidi Gassama’s effort with the rebound.

Then, as the game swung Rangers’ way for a spell, Aasgaard showed nimble feet inside the Motherwell box before firing wide.

Just before the break Butland had to move smartly again to deny Elijah Just after Hendry’s clever back-heel had set him free inside the Gers penalty area and then, at the other end, Ward beat away a close-range shot from Gassama before saving a header from Gers defender Emmanuel Fernandez.

It looked like Rohl’s half-time pep-talk had paid dividends when Ibrox midfielder Nico Raskin had the ball in the Motherwell goal from a Gassama cut-back just two minutes into the second half but the goal was disallowed for offside Rangers striker Youssef Chermiti obstructing Ward.

Mikey Moore replaced Mohamed Diomande in the 55th minute, moving left with Gassama moving over to the right.

On the hour mark, Ward parried a back-heel from Chermiti but Moore could not force the ball into the net.

Ward saved a header from Chermiti moments later and at the other end Butland flew to his right to brilliantly palm away a powerful drive from Hendry.

However, when Ward could only parry Gassama’s curling shot from inside the Motherwell box, after he had fashioned a yard of space, Aasgaard was on hand to slide the ball in from a couple of yards for his second Rangers goal.

There was more groans when Chermiti failed to control a Gassama pass that had him through on goal against Ward, who added to his list of saves in the 84th minute when he tipped a Jayden Meghoma drive over the bar for a corner that was defended, with both sides attacking each other with abandon until the end, with several more chances created and missed.