RANGERS will face a third successive replay in the Scottish Cup after a dramatic 3-3 draw with Dundee Utd in the quarter final at Ibrox.

After falling behind to Andis Shala's opener on 23 minutes two Kris Boyd penalties sent the home side in ahead at the break.

Nacho Novo made it three early in the second period before Steven Whittaker's unfortunate own goal made for a nervy final half hour.

And United capitalised on that with an equaliser ten minutes from the end when Michael Kovacevic headed home after Shala's effort came back off the crossbar.

The result will see the two match up again in ten days time as they seek to earn a semi final spot next month.

Ranger started the match without Madjid Bougherra who aggravated a hamstring problem in training, meaning young Danny Wilson continued to deputise beside Davie Weir.

That led to just the one change for the home side with Nacho Novo taking DaMarcus Beasley's spot on the left side of midfield.

And Novo was the main man in the early stages as Rangers constantly looked to feed the Spaniard as he ran at Mihael Kovacevic in wide areas.

It unsettled the United back line in the opening minutes, and their front line was disrupted too with Damian Casalinuovo managing just a few minutes before picking up an injury.

He was replaced by Andis Shala and it was the substitute who made a real impression after 23 minutes.

A loose pass by Steven Whittaker, who had started the half well, left Danny Wilson with no chance of clearing and United forced the ball through to Shala.

He advanced on Allan McGregor and made no mistake with a low finish beyond the Rangers keeper.

It was harsh on the home side who had started the brighter, and it was the first goal from open play that the Light Blues had conceded in ten matches.

But rather than crumble under pressure they did what they have so many times this season and responded in fine style.

Just ten minutes after falling behind a positive attacking move was ended when Dusan Pernis felled Kenny Miller in the Utd box.

Dougie McDonald pointed to the spot and opted to show the United shot stopper just a yellow card, to the displeasure of the home support.

That frustration was reduced when Boyd duly dispatched his spot kick in to the bottom corner for his 23rd goal of the season.

There was a clear change in the home side as they took a shot of confidence from the goal and looked to turn round the deficit before half time.

They were handed the perfect opportunity to do so when Boyd was shoved by Sean Dillon as looked to get on the end of a fine cross from Sasa Papac.

The United defender protested his innocence, but similar to Pernis saw yellow and a penalty awarded against him.

Boyd picked himself up from the challenge to send Pernis the wrong way from the spot and slot his 24th goal in to the opposite corner from his first penalty.

It left Walter Smith's side in a decent position to start the second half and they made sure they built on it in the early stages of the second period.

Novo, switching briefly to the right collected a decent pass out wide and moved in to the United box before driving towards goal.

Gary Kenneth did what he could to stop Novo's effort, but simply joined the ball in the back of Pernis's net as the Light Blues gave themselves a cushion.

United responded by introducing their second substitute of the afternoon - David Robertson replaced Danny Swanson in the 53rd minute.

But they almost found themselves three behind within minutes as Davis delivered a wonderful cross that Boyd headed toward goal, but he couldn't force it beyond Pernis.

Gers were in the mood after that with Novo doing well to pick out Miller after Boyd had charged down a United clearance, but Kenneth did well to block Miller as he looked to make the tie safe.

They were made to rue those missed chances when Whittaker was the unfortunate member of the defence who turned home an own goal just after the hour mark.

Wilson had done well to head clear and when the ball fell to Gomis it looked like his long range effort was flying wide before it took a deflection off Whittaker's head and completely deceived McGregor in the Rangers goal.

Ibrox was nervy after that goal went in. But Kyle Lafferty might have settled those nerves within a minute of replacing Boyd.

With twenty minutes left Lafferty was on the end of Novo's cross from the left but couldn't out muscle Dillon to win the header.

Ally McCoist's frustration with the missed opportunity was clear in the technical area as his animated reaction suggested how he felt the Ulsterman should have attacked the ball.

But his frustration at that was nothing in comparison to what he would have felt as Kovacevic reacted quickest to Shala's header coming back off the bar from another Utd corner.

The Swiss defender nodded beyond McGregor to level matters with ten minutes left.

Gers' final throw of the dice was to introduce DaMarcus Beasley with five minutes left - the American replacing Novo after the Spaniard had screwed a shot wide of the post as his side looked for a winner.

Beasley couldn't help find the breakthrough though and the Light Blues now face a tricky trip to Tannadice in ten days time.

And it is a match they will go in to without Lee McCulloch after the combative midfielder collected his twelfth caution of the season ruling him out of his side's next Scottish Cup tie.