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Freddie Woodman made some vital saves for Kilmarnock

Rangers lost further ground on second-placed Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership after drawing with Kilmarnock.

Goalkeeper Freddie Woodman kept out headers from Rangers' Joe Garner and James Tavernier.

For Killie, Sean Longstaff headed just wide after beating goalkeeper Wes Foderingham to a cross.

And with no goals the hosts stay four points off the top six while the visitors are 12 points behind the Dons.

The draw does more for the Ayrshire men, with interim manager Lee McCulloch having orchestrated a six-match unbeaten run after losing his first match in charge.

Beating Partick Thistle to the final top-six berth before the league splits in two games' time may prove too tall an order but Killie are well placed to stay clear of the battle at the foot of the table.

Pedro Caixinha's record as Rangers boss remains an unbeaten one but they have only won once in his three games in charge. On Sunday, they travel to take on an Aberdeen side who registered a tenth straight home league win over Inverness on Tuesday.

Debutants tested

In the absence of captain Lee Wallace, fellow full-back Lee Hodson and central defenders Rob Kiernan and Danny Wilson, centre-back David Bates and left-back Myles Beerman made their Rangers debuts alongside the more experienced Tavernier and Danny Wilson.

And Killie sought to unsettle the inexperienced and unfamiliar back four early in the match.

Gary Dicker headed into the hands of Wes Foderingham, Kris Boyd claimed unsuccessfully for a penalty after coming into collision with Wilson and Conor Sammon's attempted cross drifted narrowly past.

Bates (right) joined Rangers from Raith Rovers last year, initially on loan

Woodman and the woodwork frustrate Rangers

The hosts did not have it all their own way, however, and Emerson Hyndman's low drive was held by Woodman.

And the keeper did well to push out Garner's header before watching Martyn Waghorn nod over for the visitors.

Rangers' deliveries from set pieces often let them down, but from one telling Barrie McKay delivery Garner's header was touched on to the crossbar by Woodman and Sammon survived penalty claims after his arm made contact with another McKay cross.

Tavernier was next to test the on-loan Newcastle United goalkeeper, the full-back's downward header parried away.

Garner could not find a way past the Killie keeper

Lack of cutting edge

Other than the Garner and Tavernier headers, there were a distinct lack of shots on target.

Woodman twice snuffed out Waghorn at close proximity and Sammon should have done better than head into the hands of Foderingham when unmarked.

And Tavernier's free-kick sailed well over before Killie's Longstaff nodded past the left-hand post in stoppage time.

Reaction

Kilmarnock interim manager Lee McCulloch: "We really took the game to Rangers.

"All in all, delighted with the point, delighted with the way the boys showed resilience at the end of the game as well.

Killie boss satisfied with point

"It's another point, it's another good point. The way we set up tonight, I thought it really worked, especially first half.

"Maybe a little bit unfortunate not to nick it in the end but if we're being realistic about it, I think we'd take the point.

"Every point's a prisoner as they say."

Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha: "We have a culture of winning and getting the three points all the time. So we cannot be happy drawing the game.

"We need to be reinforcing the players the demands of playing at such a massive club who needs to win all the time and we need to be angry when we don't do it. We should be angry that we didn't and that's the frustration.

"It's getting difficult. We know we need to play twice against Aberdeen and that they have to play against all of the top six again.

"The maths says it can still be done but the next game will be crucial to understand if you are able or not.

"If you don't win Sunday against Aberdeen, you don't deserve to be in second position. But that is my challenge. It is something we need to prove to ourselves."