Rangers blow chance to cut Celtic's SPL lead

Glasgow Rangers's French coach Paul Le Guen, pictured October 2006. Rangers were booed off the field after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to St Mirren in the Scottish Premier League.

Rangers were booed off the field after being held to a 1-1 draw at home to St Mirren in the Scottish Premier League.

Their fans making up the majority of the 50,273 crowd were disgusted after Paul Le Guen's team blew a great chance to cut league leaders Celtic's advantage, after they were earlier held to a 1-1 draw at Motherwell.

Though Kris Boyd had quickly cancelled out Richard Brittain early opener for St Mirren, Rangers could not find a winner piling further pressure on their French manager.

Celtic had been held to a 1-1 draw away to Motherwell after the Fir Park side scored a last gasp equaliser through substitute Darren Lee Smith.

Derek Riordan, making his first start for Celtic in the SPL, put the league leaders ahead in the first half with his first goal for the Parkhead club.

However, the league leaders still managed to stretch their advantage to 16 points after second place Aberdeen lost away to Dundee United.

At Ibrox Rangers had been looking to bounce back from their midweek defeat away to Inverness Caledonian Thistle and take advantage of Celtic dropping points at Motherwell.

It was St Mirren, however, who started the match in a more positive mood and they fully deserved to take the lead in the 14th minute.

Mark Corcoran, playing as a lone striker, collected the ball on the left and twisted away from two Rangers defenders before rolling it back for Brittain who rocketed a first-time shot into the roof of the net from 22 yards.

But only five minutes later Rangers were back on level terms.

Charlie Adam's corner was met by Boyd on the six-yard box and he bulleted a header into the top corner beyond St Mirren goalkeeper Tony Bullock.

The Rangers striker should have grabbed his second in the 26th minute when Czech midfielder Libor Sionko unselfishly put him through on goal but he hit straight at Bullock who palmed the ball away.

Adam almost put the home side ahead in the 41st minute with a curling free-kick from a tight angle which deceived Bullock only to rebound back off the crossbar.

Brittain was then inches away from restoring his team's lead with a powerful drive from 20 yards in the 45th minute, which flew just over Allan McGregor's bar.

As the Rangers fans grew increasingly restless St Mirren wasted a great chance for their second in the 52nd minute.

Corcoran stole the ball away from Bosnian defender Sasa Papac to go through one-on-one with McGregor only to slice his shot well wide from 16-yards.

In the 61st minute Rangers Spanish striker cut in from the left but with only Bullock to beat his shot from six yards was straight at the St Mirren keeper who saved easily.

In the other SPL games Dundee United won 3-1 at home to second placed Aberdeen. Scott Severin put the Dons ahead in the second-half but Trinidad and Tobago international Collin Samuel equalised and scored the third after Barry Robson had put United ahead from the penalty spot.

On-loan Arsenal striker Anthony Stokes bagged a first half hat-trick as Falkirk won 3-1 at home to Inverness Caledonian Thistle - bringing his tally to 16 for the season. John Rankin scored Caley's consolation after the break.

New Zealand striker Chris Killen scored a second half double, the second from the penalty spot, to hand Hibernian a 2-0 win at home to bottom of the table Dunfermline.

And Kilmarnock and Hearts fought out a goalless draw at Rugby Park.