Motherwell 1-1 Rangers: Celtic loanee Stephen Welsh strikes late to deny Danny Röhl crucial victory in title race

Celtic loanee Stephen Welsh struck late as 10-man Motherwell denied Rangers the chance to cut Hearts' lead in the title race to three points by holding them to a 1-1 draw at Fir Park.

The centre-back turned home Eythor Bjorgolfsson's nod down in the penultimate minute of normal time to stun the Gers, who had led since the sixth minute and played with an extra man for the final 12 after Lukas Fadinger's red card.

In truth, the draw was the least Motherwell deserved having enjoyed the lion's share of the play following Nicolas Raskin's early opener, a sweeping finish from Mo Diomande's through ball providing a rare moment of quality for the visitors before the break.

Stephen O'Donnell should have done better with a header from a free-kick before Tawanda Maswanhise was denied by Jack Butland from a seemingly impossible angle, the Rangers goalkeeper tipping his effort onto the post and behind.

Motherwell held their nerve and continued to push, though Youssef Chermiti should have doubled Rangers' lead when he was twice denied by Calum Ward in the same move.

Motherwell created a number of half-chances after the break but looked like their hopes of salvaging anything from the game had gone when Fadinger's yellow card for a lunge on Mikey Moore was upgraded to a red following a VAR review.

But if anything, it galvanised the hosts. First Bjorgolfsson should have equalised when he headed O'Donnell's cross into the floor and gave Butland a presentable save, before moments later he made amends when nodding down for Welsh to bundle home.