A James Tavernier penalty and a late second from Brandon Barker saw Ross County succumb to a 2-0 defeat against Rangers.
The Ibrox skipper found the net from 12 yards in the first-half and substitute Barker grabbed another on the break to extend the home side’s unbeaten run to 10 games. But they were made to work for it by a committed County performance.
County made three changes from the 3-0 defeat to Aberdeen. Out went the suspended Iain Vigurs, while Oli Shaw and Keith Watson dropped to the bench. In came Ross Draper, Regan Charles-Cook and Callum Morris.
The visitors were also without manager Stuart Kettlewell, who served the first game of a three-match touchline ban. Assistant Richard Brittain and first-team coach Don Cowie were left in charge.
A back five was in place for County, with Charles-Cook dropping into an attacking right-back slot and it was his early foray forward that provided a glimpse of goal. He was picked out by Ross Stewart in stride and fizzed a ball across goal that was only lacking a touch from a County player.
The early work was undone, however, on 17 minutes when Coll Donaldson bundled Alfredo Morelos to the floor near the penalty spot. Referee Greg Aitken blew immediately for a penalty, with Tavernier rolling the spot-kick down the middle.
Rangers began to threaten further, with a Tavernier free-kick deflected over and Morelos shooting straight at Ross Laidlaw from the edge of the box. Connor Goldson then planted a firm header over from a Borna Barisic corner.
The home side threatened further before the break, with Ryan Kent making space for himself and targeting the bottom corner, with a deflection taking it wide.
Morelos was denied seven minutes into the second half by a desperate block from Donaldson, with the Colombian taking aim from Tavernier’s centre only for the centre-half to slide in.
Stewart continued to toil away up front and was left cursing a slack touch as he went to collect a return pass from Ross Draper. If he had caught in stride, the chance to shoot was there.
To their credit they were holding Rangers at bay from an attacking perspective and came closest to a goal through Donaldson, who headed a free-kick from Josh Reid on to the roof of the net.
With three minutes to go Rangers put the Staggies’ spirited performance to bed, with Ianis Hagi clipping a ball over the top of the defence for Barker, who meandered across the box before eventually steering home.
Morris missed a late chance to head in a consolation from a Reid corner but could not direct his header on target.