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Dan Casey (left) scores the winning goal at IbroxImpressive Motherwell secured their first victory at Ibrox in nine years to end Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers' 11-game winning run.
Theo Bair's early strike - his 11th goal of the season - was cancelled out by James Tavernier's 60th-minute penalty.
But Dan Casey headed the eighth-placed side's winner that swings the title race back in the direction of Celtic.
Philippe Clement's side remain two points clear at the top of the table.
However, reigning champions Celtic can regain the lead they enjoyed for much of the season when they visit Heart of Midlothian on Sunday.
Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell told BBC Scotland just before kick-off that he felt he had a formula to frustrate both sides of the Old Firm.
His side had lost by a single goal on their last visit to Ibrox, and they made a composed start that was in stark contrast to their surprisingly nervy hosts and rarely looked back.
When centre-half John Souttar made a mess of trying to intercept a through ball to Jack Vale, the striker exploited the space behind and set up strike partner Bair for a 15-yard finish off the far post.
Rangers looked shaken and disjointed, but they gradually grew into the game only to find goalkeeper Liam Kelly and his defence in defiant form.
With winger Ross McCausland forced off after a strong Casey challenge that did not even produce a booking, replacement Fabio Silva ought to have equalised with his first touch only to shoot weakly straight at Kelly.
Rangers thought they had equalised, only for Cyriel Dessers to be ruled offside, but they eventually did after Stephen O'Donnell's slide into Silva produced the penalty from which Tavernier fired his 21st goal of the season off the underside of the bar.
The hosts piled forward hoping to repeat their midweek comeback win over Kilmarnock.
However, Blair Spittal had already fired a warning off the crossbar before Rangers' equaliser and the hosts' defensive frailties were again exposed when the midfielder's cross found Casey to provide the killer blow in a thrilling finish.
Player of the game - Theo Bair (Motherwell)
Motherwell striker Theo Bair (left) not opened the scoring but gave normally steady centre-half Connor Goldson a torrid afternoonMore to follow.
What's next?
Home defeat is not the ideal preparation for Rangers as they travel to meet Benfica in the Europa League last 16 on Thursday (20:00 GMT) before visiting Hibernian in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals, while Motherwell are not in action again until hosting Aberdeen in the league on 16 March (15:00).
Line-ups
Rangers
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Butland
- 2Tavernier
- 6Goldson
- 5Souttar
- 3Yilmaz
- 4Lundstram
- 43RaskinSubstituted forLawrenceat 45'minutes
- 21SterlingSubstituted forWrightat 90'minutes
- 42Diomande
- 45McCauslandSubstituted forFábio Silvaat 35'minutes
- 9DessersSubstituted forRoofeat 77'minutes
Substitutes
- 7Fábio Silva
- 8Jack
- 11Lawrence
- 23Wright
- 25Roofe
- 26Davies
- 27Balogun
- 28McCrorie
- 31Barisic
Motherwell
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Kelly
- 15CaseyBooked at 90mins
- 5Mugabi
- 20Blaney
- 2O'DonnellBooked at 56mins
- 38Miller
- 17ZdravkovskiSubstituted forNicholsonat 63'minutes
- 16McGinn
- 28ValeSubstituted forHallidayat 77'minutes
- 7Spittal
- 14BairBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 3Gent
- 9Obika
- 11Halliday
- 13Oxborough
- 18Shaw
- 19Nicholson
- 29Elliot
- 30Ferrie
- 37Wells
Referee:Alan Muir
Attendance:50,281
Live Text
Match ends, Rangers 1, Motherwell 2.
Second Half ends, Rangers 1, Motherwell 2.
Theo Bair (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Connor Goldson (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Theo Bair (Motherwell).
Offside, Motherwell. Theo Bair is caught offside.
Attempt missed. James Tavernier (Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Dan Casey (Motherwell) is shown the yellow card.
Tom Lawrence (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Bevis Mugabi (Motherwell).
Attempt missed. John Souttar (Rangers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by James Tavernier with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Paul McGinn.
Attempt blocked. Fábio Silva (Rangers) header from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by James Tavernier.
Attempt saved. Kemar Roofe (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ridvan Yilmaz with a cross.
Substitution, Rangers. Scott Wright replaces Dujon Sterling.
Attempt missed. Connor Goldson (Rangers) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ridvan Yilmaz with a cross following a corner.
Attempt missed. Connor Goldson (Rangers) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Dujon Sterling with a headed pass following a corner.
Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Liam Kelly.
Attempt saved. Ridvan Yilmaz (Rangers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Attempt saved. John Lundstram (Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by James Tavernier.
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Rangers
Squad number1Player nameButland
Squad number2Player nameTavernier
Squad number6Player nameGoldson
Squad number5Player nameSouttar
Squad number3Player nameYilmaz
Squad number4Player nameLundstram
Squad number43Player nameRaskin
Squad number21Player nameSterling
Squad number42Player nameDiomande
Squad number45Player nameMcCausland
Squad number9Player nameDessers
Squad number7Player nameFábio Silva
Squad number11Player nameLawrence
Squad number23Player nameWright
Squad number25Player nameRoofe
Motherwell
Squad number1Player nameKelly
Squad number15Player nameCasey
Squad number5Player nameMugabi
Squad number20Player nameBlaney
Squad number2Player nameO'Donnell
Squad number38Player nameMiller
Squad number17Player nameZdravkovski
Squad number16Player nameMcGinn
Squad number28Player nameVale
Squad number7Player nameSpittal
Squad number14Player nameBair
Squad number11Player nameHalliday
Squad number19Player nameNicholson
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