Late Graham Dorrans equaliser for Rangers spares Pedro Caixinha a roasting after Partick Thistle collapse

Yet, this performance and result did nothing to instil faith in the Portuguese coach among a support which remains highly sceptical despite some tangible signs of improvement in recent weeks.

It was certainly a frenetic, bad-tempered and utterly compelling contest which made for great entertainment for the 8,264 crowd as well as the armchair viewers watching at home.

Much more of this sort of disjointed and unconvincing play from his team, though, and Caixinha will not survive much longer.

Rangers had a chance to win three consecutive games for the first time since their manager arrived in this country and even, had they won by four goals or more, topple Celtic off the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership.

When Eduardo Morelos put them in front in a first half they controlled with his eighth goal in nine games they looked set to, at the very least, complete a hat-trick of wins.

But all of their old failings and fallibilities, at the back especially, resurfaced against opponents who are still searching for their first league win of the season.

They conceded two goals in the space of 10 minutes in the second half, firstly to Blair Spittal and then to Chris Erskine, and could have fallen further behind had Miles Storey shown greater composure when he was clean through on goal.

Only a fine Graham Dorrans goal, scored after their hosts had been reduced to 10 men with the sending off of goalscorer Erskine, spared Caixinha a savaging from his own supporters at the final whistle.

Rangers have now won just half of the six league games they have played this term and have kept only one clean sheet. Celtic, who take on Ross County at home this afternoon, could well be five points clear of them when they meet.

To cap a miserable night, Lee Wallace, their left back and captain, suffered a recurrence of the groin injury which has troubled him for some time after a tussle with Storey early on.

Wallace’s involvement in the Betfred Cup quarter-final against the same opponents as his side faced last night at the same venue on Tuesday evening must now be in question.

Of far greater concern, though, to his manager, team mates and club’s supporters will be whether the Scotland defender is available for their next league outing.

His involvement in the game ended after 12 minutes when he trudged off down the side of the pitch and he was replaced by Declan John.

The young Manchester City loanee, who only arrived in Glasgow last month, was making his first team debut, but he made an instant impression and had a hand in the opening goal seven minutes after coming on.

He combined well with Josh Windass on the edge of the Thistle area allowing his team mate to rifle an attempt at goal. The ball was deflected wide to Morelos who slotted home from an acute angle.

Goalkeeper Tomas Cerny not being available due to the muscle strain he was forced to leave the field with in the draw with Ross County up in Dingwall last weekend was far from ideal for Thistle.

However, Ryan Scully, who came in to deputise for Cerny, could have done little about the Columbian’s goal such was the quality of the finish.

Ryan Jack was the next Rangers player to go ground clutching his ankle after Ryan Edwards appeared to stamp on him and Caixinha will have spent a few anxious moments fearing he was going to lose another first team regular.

The injury Jack suffered caused tempers to fray and rival players, not least Danny Devine and Windass, to square up to one another. But the midfielder launched himself recklessly into the challenge and could consider himself fortunate not to be punished.

That Thistle were hell bent on clawing their way back into the match as they came out for the second half was evident when Niall Keown cemented Kenny Miller in the first minute after the restart. He was rightly yellow carded for his blatant foul.

But Alan Archibald’s men performed with far greater desire than their adversaries and seized control of the match. They deserved to draw level through a free-kick in the 50th minute after Fabio Cardoso brought down Spittal on the edge of the Rangers penalty box.

Spittal stepped up to take the free-kick and lashed a fine effort over the defensive wall and beyond goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.

Goalscorer turned provider after an hour. He burst down the right wing and squared the ball into the six yard box where Erskine was well placed to side foot the ball into an inviting net. Hopes of a first Thistle win over Rangers in 24 years and 26 games were roused.

Caixinha responded by throwing on Eduardo Herrera for Miller and Carlos Pena for Jack and when Erskine was shown a straight red card for scything down Morelos it increased their prospects of salvaging a point.

Storey had a chance to sew up a famous win for the home team in the 76th minute, but he snatched at his shot. He had cause to rue that wasted opportunity moments later when Dorrans curled one into the top corner.