James Tavernier on target as Rangers narrow gap to leaders with win over Dundee

Rangers moved into second place and narrowed the gap on William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts to four points with a 3-0 win over Dundee at Ibrox.

After a slow-paced first half bereft of intensity, home captain James Tavernier scored from the spot just after the restart.

However, the Light Blues continued to toil until substitutes Danilo and Djeidi Gassama added further goals in stoppage time for an eighth successive win in all competitions.

Hearts’ thrilling 2-2 draw with Celtic at Tynecastle meant that Rangers leapfrogged their Old Firm rival by two points to sit four points behind the Jambos as the title race heats up with 15 fixtures remaining.

There was plenty for Rangers fans to be positive about even before a kick-off which was delayed due to VAR issues.

Denmark winger Andreas Skov Olsen, the 26-year-old Wolfsburg loanee, made his debut while midfielder Tochi Chukwuani, 22, who has signed from Sturm Graz and is also Danish, made his first start.

The two new signings combined in the 12th minute when Chukwuani headed in from a Skov Olsen cross but, after a lengthy VAR check, referee Kevin Clancy confirmed the offside call.

The home side could not build up a head of steam, much to the frustration of their fans.

Dundee increased in confidence and in the 28th minute Callum Jones poked a shot over the bar from 12 yards out following a long throw-in.

Visiting goalkeeper Jon McCracken had little to do before diving to his right in the 38th minute to parry Thelo Aasgaard’s decent drive from distance.

Moments later he blocked Chukwuani’s drive with his foot before Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez’s spectacular overhead kick from 14 yards skipped past a post.

There was drama less than a minute after the restart when home midfielder Nico Raskin was wiped out by Dundee defender Ryan Astley as he fired a shot high over the bar.

Referee Clancy immediately pointed to the spot and Tavernier fired high past the diving McCracken for his 100th league goal.

The next opportunity came just before the hour mark when Aasgaard was sent through by Mikey Moore but could not get his shot away before being crowded out.

Dundee were neat and tidy at times on the ball but could not penetrate Rangers’ penalty area.

In the 79th minute, Moore’s shot from 12 yards out after burrowing into the Dundee box was pushed behind by McCracken and the Taysiders survived the corner.

Ibrox erupted at the news of Hearts’ goal to make it 2-2 against Celtic but they had to wait until just over the 90-minute mark for Danilo to race clear of the Dundee defence and curl the ball past McCracken.

Gassama did likewise a couple of minutes later from outside the box, putting gloss on the scoreline.