Theo Bair’s early goal was cancelled out by a James Tavernier penalty, but Dan Casey headed home for the Steelmen with 75 minutes on the clock.

There were four changes from the midweek victory over Kilmarnock as Ridvan, Nico Raskin, Dujon Sterling and Cyriel Dessers all came in from the start for this one.

Oscar Cortes was out of the squad having picked-up a muscle injury at Rugby Park, while Borna Barisic, Tom Lawrence and Fabio Silva were named on the bench.

Rangers started with Jack Butland between the sticks, behind a back four of James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, John Souttar and Ridvan.

John Lundstram and Mohamed DIomande were joined in midfield by Nico Raskin, while Dujon Sterling and Ross McCausland provided the support for Cyriel Dessers.

Ahead of kick-off, Rangers legend Steven Davis was welcomed onto the Ibrox pitch as the club and the supporters recognised the achievements of the midfielder, who recently announced his retirement from football.

It was the visitors who got the action underway, and they were first to have a chance at goal with an early Blair Spittal corner headed over the bar by Bevis Mugabi.

At the other end, James Tavernier spotted the run of John Lundstram in the box and the midfielder tried to cut the ball back to Ross McCausland but Motherwell dealt with the danger as they were able to turn it behind for a corner.

With less than 10 minutes on the clock, it was the Steelmen who took the lead at Ibrox. Blair Spittal lifted a free-kick over the top and into the path of Jack Vale, before he found Theo Bair in the box.

The striker, who has been in form for Motherwell, struck the ball low into the bottom right-hand corner of the net to give Stuart Kettlewell’s men the early advantage at Ibrox.

As the game approached the 20-minute mark, Rangers had struggled to find their rhythm so far but had a chance to get level as Ridvan whipped a ball into the box in search of Cyriel Dessers but the strikers’ header was just high of the target.

Shortly after, Mohamed Diomande won the ball back in a dangerous position before releasing a powerful strike at goal but it was tipped behind for a corner by goalkeeper Liam Kelly, before the Motherwell keeper also got a touch on a long-range Ridvan strike to deny the Turkish international.

Ridvan was involved again as this time he found the run of Diomande into the box, but his header was gathered by Kelly.

Rangers were pressing for an equaliser as Ross McCausland saw a double effort blocked by Motherwell bodies inside the box before Dessers got a touch from close range to send the ball back towards goal but again it was kept out by the Motherwell number one.

The visitors were still looking dangerous, as Spittal found space to have a strike at goal, but Jack Butland was alert to block the effort.

Clement was forced into a change with 33 minutes on the clock at Ibrox as Ross McCausland was injured in a challenge with Dan Casey and had to be replaced by Fabio Silva.

The on-loan Wolves forward was involved instantly as he got on the end of a James Tavernier cross at the near post, but Kelly was on hand once again to gather.

The manager turned to his bench at the break as Tom Lawrence, who was on target in the midweek victory over Kilmarnock, was introduced in place of Nico Raskin.

Just two minutes into the half, Rangers had the ball in the net as Cyriel Dessers appeared to get the final touch to bundle it over the line from a corner, but the linesman’s flag was up for offside.

There was another warning for Clement’s men as to the dangers of Motherwell with Stephen O’Donnell’s cross flicked towards goal by Spittal with the visitors denied a second goal by the crossbar.

It was a lively start to the second-half at Ibrox and as Rangers looked to launch another attack, Fabio Silva was fouled in the box by Stephen O’Donnell and Dan Casey, and following a lengthy VAR check Alan Muir was called to his monitor.

After reviewing the footage, the referee pointed to the spot and awarded Rangers a penalty.

James Tavernier stepped-up to the spot and it was another big moment from the captain as he sent the ball high into the back of the net to draw Rangers level.

The goal also saw Tavernier become the club’s highest scoring defender of all-time with his 122nd goal taking him ahead of John Grieg.

However, with 75 minutes played at Ibrox, it was Motherwell who got the next goal. The ball was whipped into the box, with Dan Casey meeting it at the back post to head beyond Butland.

Following the goal, Cyriel Dessers was replaced by Kemar Roofe as Clement looked to freshen his attack for the final period.

John Lundstram had a long-range strike pushed wide by Liam Kelly, with Ridvan’s rebound effort also blocked by the Motherwell goalkeeper.

Rangers were continuing to search for a goal with Connor Goldson heading wide as the game approached the 90-minute mark before Paul McGinn headed a Fabio Silva effort off the line.

With eight minutes added on at Ibrox, Clement’s men were throwing everything at it in the final stages, but Motherwell were standing firm as they held out for the victory.

RANGERS: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Ridvan, Lundstram, Diomande, Raskin (Lawrence, 46), Sterling (Wright, 89), McCausland (Silva, 35), Dessers (Roofe, 77).

Subs: McCrorie, Jack, Davies, Balogun, Barisic.

Motherwell: Kelly, O’Donnell, Mugabi, Spittal, Bair, Casey, McGinn, Zdravkovski (Nicholson, 63), Blaney, Vale (Halliday, 77), Miller.

Subs: Oxborough, Gent, Obika, Shaw, Elliot, Ferrie, Wells.