On a day of fireworks off the pitch as the row over end of season Championship scheduling exploded, Rangers fans let themselves down by setting off flares in the Energy Assets Arena. As the smoke cleared on this 1-1 draw against bottom side Livingston, though, Stuart McCall was left ruing the explosive impact of Myles Hippolyte despite his Ibrox side nudging one point clear of Hibs in second place. The Livvy attacker’s absolute cracker of a free-kick had sent the home side into the lead just two minutes after the break. Hippolyte’s joy was to be short-lived, though, as Rangers centre-half Marius Zaliukas raced up the park to restore parity with a clever back-header two minutes later. Rangers dropped two points at Championship bottom side Livingston in their bid for promotion . Livingston: Jamieson, Fordyce, Gallacher, Cole, Talbot, Keaghan Jacobs, O'Brien, Pitman (Mullen 86), Kyle Jacobs, White (Boulding 89), Hippolyte (Glen 81). Subs Not Used: Walker, Beaumont, Sekajja, Donaldson. Booked: Keaghan Jacobs. Goals: Hippolyte 47. Rangers: Bell, McGregor, McCulloch, Zaliukas, Wallace, Vuckic, Shiels (Walsh 80), Murdoch, Law, Miller (Boyd 74), Clark (Hardie 74). Subs Not Used: Mohsni, Black, Crawford, Robinson. Booked: Vuckic. Goals: Zaliukas 49. Att: 4,345. Referee: Greg Aitken (Scotland). But despite leapfrogging Hibs to go second, there was no mistaking McCall’s expression at full-time. To the manager, this was two points lost as Rangers’ form away from Ibrox once again gave them cause for concern. That’s just one win away from home in the last five Championships games now, as the tense race to finish second — and avoid the third/fourth play-off games — hots up ahead of the final three matches. To be fair to McCall, he had pinpointed this clash against a resurgent Livvy as one of the toughest matches his side would face before the end of the regular league season. The Rangers boss made just the one change from the side that beat Raith Rovers 4-0 at the weekend. There was a return to centre-half for captain Lee McCulloch, free from suspension after serving his two-game ban for an elbow on Hearts striker Osman Sow. The captain’s recall saw Darren McGregor move to right back, with Robbie Crawford dropping onto the bench. Livingston, on a run of three straight wins, made just the one change, Danny Mullen dropping out while the veteran Burton O’Brien was included to pack the home midfield. Myles Hippolyte gave Livingston the lead early in the second half and threatened to upset Rangers . Hippolyte curled a free-kick into the back of the Rangers net to give Livingston the lead in the 47th minute . After a series of loud bangs rang out across the stadium, the game exploded into real controversy after seven minutes. Livingston striker Jordan White challenged Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell in the air and Hippolyte turned the loose ball home. As he raced away in glee, the Rangers players, not to mention McCall in the dugout, looked grateful as the flag of assistant referee Dougie Potter halted the home celebrations. The Livingston players, and fans, meanwhile, reacted furiously. There had seemed little wrong with White’s challenge on the keeper. Rangers were struggling to impose themselves as an attacking force, against a side that looked nothing like relegation contenders. The best McCall’s men could muster early on was a header over the bar from Nicky Clark after a cross from the right wing by Haris Vuckic. The Slovenian then saw a long-ranger effort comfortably saved by Darren Jamieson in the home goal. But shortly afterwards, Vuckic looked fortunate to escape punishment when he appeared to catch Livvy’s Jason Talbot in the face with his arm. Referee Aitken had spotted the off-the-ball incident but he elected to award a foul to Livvy but took no action against the Slovenian, to the visible disgust of some Livingston players. Keaghan Jacobs sent the free-kick over the bar. Five minutes before the break, Kenny Miller sent a 16-yard shot flying over the bar when he really should have tested goalkeeper Jamieson. In the second half more booms erupted in the Rangers end but they were stunned into silence as the dangerous Hippolyte gave Livingston a lead with a terrific goal. McGregor fouled White at the edge of the box and Hippolyte stepped up to curl a stylish and superb free-kick beyond the diving Bell to leave Rangers players and their fans staring at a damaging defeat. Marius Zaliukas equalised a couple of minutes later for Rangers at the Energy Assets Arena . Rangers were unable to force a second goal and get the win, but still leapfrogged Hibernian in the table . But McCall’s men showed the kind of mettle that has been missing for most of this season when they drew level within 120 seconds. Vuckic sent in a free-kick from the left and there was Zaliukas to get in position to flick a backwards header beyond the diving Jamieson. As Rangers searched for a winner, McGregor fired in a powerful shot from the right wing that Jamieson uncomfortably palmed away. And Rangers thought they had gone ahead when Nicky Law fed Miller on the right, and he cut the ball back for Vuckic. But the Newcastle loan star’s shot cracked the inside of the post before being scrambled away to safety. Rangers survived a scare at the other end when Bell slipped but the goalkeeper recovered before White could take advantage of his fall. And the Livvy fans were furious when Zaliukas appeared to foul Scott Pittman in the box, only for referee Aitken to wave play on. McCall went for it, sending on Kris Boyd and young Ryan Hardie for front two Miller and Clark while Tom Walsh replaced Shiels. But his replacements made no impact and Rangers were unable to carve out any more opportunities. At the death, Vuckic was booked for simulation in the box as he desperately claimed a penalty. There was still time for yet another ear-shattering explosion from the Rangers end. But the booms were soon replaced by boos at the full-time whistle as Rangers had stuttered once more on the road. Livvy, for their part, were afforded a rapturous reception from their own band of fans as Mark Burchill’s men moved to within two points of second-bottom Alloa.
Rangers held to 1-1 draw by bottom side in the Championship.
Stuart McCall's side go second in the league above Hibernian.
Myles Hippolyte gave Livingston the lead just after half-time.
Marius Zaliukas equalised for Rangers two minutes later.