Danny Röhl suffered his first Scottish Premiership defeat as Rangers manager at Tynecastle this afternoon – his side going down 2-1 to Derek McInnes’s table topping Hearts side who stretched their lead over the Ibrox men to 12 points – albeit with a game in hand for the Gers.
Rangers actually started the match brightly and had the ball in the back of the net thanks to the returning Bojan Miovski – fit again after missing Monday’s home match with Hearts’ Edinburgh rivals Hibernian.
A brilliant James Tavernier corner was met by the head of the towering Emmanuel Fernandez – the matchwinner in the 1-0 win over Hibs – his potentially goal bound header was tapped home by the North Macedonian – but a VAR call denied him a fourth goal in three games.
The decision rallied the rampant Tynecastle crowd and the Hearts squad on the park responded with Greek winger Alexandros Kyziridis driving inside and shooting just wide of Jack Butland’s goal from range – Rangers not closing down fast enough and lucky the playmaker’s effort was dragged past the far post.
Tavernier almost delivered again from another set piece – this time from a free kick but Nicolas Raskin headed past the post before Mikey Moore and Jayden Meghoma had efforts saved by Jambo keeper Alexander Schwolow and blocked by the backline.
Hearts would then take advantage of their own set-piece after Raskin conceded a corner.
Rangers did not pick up to a short corner routine which ended with Kyziridis finding Scotland defender Stuart Findlay inside the area – the former Celtic and Kilmarnock man rose above Connor Barron and Fernandez to head past Butland.
They would double their lead minutes later - Oisin McEntee and Claudio Braga both winning their second balls and finding captain Lawrence Shankland inside the area – the one-time Rangers transfer target looked to have been forced too far wide but his driven shot somehow snuck past the hapless Butland at his near post to send the hosts two up at the break.
Rangers introduced Yousef Chermiti at half time to partner Miovski but failed to take control of the match.
Chances fell for substitutes Djeidi Gassama and Danilo while Fernandez and Moore each had efforts but Rangers were susceptible to the counter attack with Butland making saves to deny Shankland a second as well as the forward putting a big chance wide.
Rangers would grab a consolation goal late on with Chermiti outmuscling the Hearts defender but it would be too little too late as the full time whistle blew seconds after the restart.
Rangers now trail the league leaders by twelve points, with a game in hand, and face a defining January transfer window as Röhl looks to arrest the momentum at the top of the table.