Ferguson ends Motherwell resistance

The captain came to the rescue with a 73rd-minute strike to hand Rangers their first SPL victory since the 1-0 win over Celtic at the same venue on March 29.

The Ibrox side are now four points behind their bitter rivals with two games in hand - and four trophies remain in their sights.

The prelude to the match was dominated by images of Rangers' route to the UEFA Cup final being beamed around the Govan stadium and perhaps the video clips had an effect on the Rangers players, who dominated the opening spell.

The first opportunity arrived with just two minutes on the clock. A neat pass from Jean-Claude Darcheville allowed Ferguson to release Kris Boyd through on goal but the danger was cleared by the Motherwell defence before he could shoot.

Boyd then played Darcheville into the box before making a run to collect the return pass only to lose his footing and swipe at fresh air and David Weir saw a long-range header touched onto the crossbar by Graeme Smith, before Nacho Novo lashed the rebound into the side-netting.

At the other end Stephen Hughes set up Ross McCormack, named in the Scotland squad for the first time earlier on Wednesday - but he dragged his shot across goal and narrowly wide.

In the second half Steven Davis' inswinging corner found the head of Weir but the veteran defender was again denied when he glanced across the goalmouth and past the upright.

And The breakthrough eventually came when a Davis corner was nodded on by Weir to Ferguson, who was waiting on the edge of the six-yard box to gratefully lash into the top corner of the net.

Boyd thought he had wrapped up the win late on when he netted - but the assistant had already flagged for offside before the shot had left his boot. Rangers held on for three precious points and they will face Dundee United next up in the league, before next week's UEFA Cup final against Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester.