Ross County pay the penalty but go down fighting against Rangers
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Rangers 2 Ross County 0
Scorer: Tavernier (17 pen) Barker (87)
Ross County were made to pay the penalty as James Tavernier's spot-kick set Rangers on their way to victory.
Coll Donaldson fouled Alfredos Morelos early in the first half to concede the penalty to give Rangers a first half lead.
But it would take Rangers until three minutes from the end with a goal from Brandon Barker.
Ross County made three changes to the team that lost 3-0 to Aberdeen as Ross Draper, Regan Charles Cook and Callum Morris came in to replace Oli Shaw, Keith Watson and Iain Vigurs.
Ross County had a decent start to the match when Charles-Cook managed to get a pass into the six-yard box which went across the face of goal with no takers.
But Rangers went on to dominate the first half and took the lead after 17 minutes when Coll Donaldson took down Alfredo Morelos in the penalty box.
Tavernier made no mistake from 12 yards as he fired the ball into the bottom left corner sending goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw the wrong way.
Rangers had a number of chances to double their lead in the first half, the best coming from Connor Goldson who beat Ross County's defence to Borna Barisic's corner but nodded inches above the bar.
Rangers started where they left off in the second half as a last ditch tackle by Donaldson denied Morelos doubling their advantage early on.
But Ross County had a golden chance midway through the second half to level when Ross Draper's cross from the left wing found Ross Stewart on the edge of the six-yard box.
But he couldn't control the ball to fire off a shot.
New signing Jermaine Hylton made his debut with 18 minutes to play when he replaced Ross Draper.
Ross County had another great chance to level 10 minutes before the end when Donaldson beat the Rangers defence in the air to meet Josh Reid's cross but nodded inches over the bar from six yards.
Rangers secured victory three minutes from the end when Barker latched on to a pass from Ianis Hagi and he drove into the box to fire past Laidlaw from 10 yards.
Callum Morris almost reduced the deficit to one in injury time but nodded the ball wide of the right post from six yards.
Rangers - Mclaughlin, Tavernier, Goldson, Jack (Hagi 65), Kent (Davis 82), Kamara, Morelos, Jones (Barker 70), Balogun, Barisic (Bassey 65), Arfield. Subs (Unused) McGregor, Edmunson, Defoe, Davis, Patterson, Barjonas.
Ross County - Laidlaw, Morris, Draper (Hylton 72), Gardyne (Mckay 82), Iacovitti, Charles-Cook (Shaw 88), Tillson, Paton, Donaldson, Strewart, Reid. Subs (Unused) Tremarco, O'Connor, Grivosti, Watson, Doohan, Mackinnon.
Referee Greg Aitken
