Kilmarnock 2-4 Rangers: Barry Ferguson earns first Premiership victory in stunning comeback at Rugby Park

Barry Ferguson made a dramatic start at Rangers as they came from two goals down at Kilmarnock to secure victory in his first Scottish Premiership game as interim boss.

The former captain said the chance to lead his club was a dream, but early goals from Joe Wright and Brad Lyons threatened to turn it into a nightmare.

Clinton Nsiala was hooked after just half an hour and it was an inspired change as the visitors rallied with Vaclav Cerny slotting in before the break.

There were the usual missed chances from Cyriel Dessers early on, but the striker’s second-half double turned the Rangers’ fans jeers to cheers with Nedim Bajrami coming off the bench to wrap up the victory with a fourth late on.

Rangers are back to trailing Celtic by 13 points, Kilmarnock are 10th.

Ferguson brings fighting spirit to Rangers

It was a case of new faces, old frailties for Rangers as they looked to bounce back from a turbulent few days following Philippe Clement’s departure.

The home side forced a series of corners and from an 11th-minute Fraser Murray delivery the unmarked Wright bulleted a header past Butland, with marker Robin Propper eased aside.

And three minutes later Lyons intercepted a short pass back from Gers midfielder Nicolas Raskin, moved forward and curled the ball from 20 yards past Butland.

The visitors were all over the place.

Killie striker Marley Watkins missed two great chances before Ferguson brought on Ridvan Yilmaz for Nsiala, with the Turkish left-back moving to right-back and skipper James Tavernier moving inside to partner Propper.

Dessers should have reduced the deficit in the 34th minute but his shot from four yards was blocked by defender Lewis Mayo.

But moments later Cerny slipped the ball under O’Hara after racing on to a Mohamed Diomande pass and Rangers were back in the game.

Killie wobbled until the break then came out re-energised, only to concede a second in the 53rd minute when Dessers headed past O’Hara from skipper James Tavernier’s dipping corner.

And the Nigeria striker put the rejuvenated visitors ahead in the 62nd minute when he took a searching Yilmaz pass and volleyed in from 16 yards, racing to the Gers fans behind the goal to celebrate.

The Ayrshire side responded and in the 76th minute Butland did well to push a bouncing shot from Corrie Ndaba away from danger, with O’Hara beating away a speculative drive from Igamane at the other end.

Minutes after coming off the bench and with the home defence wide open, Bajrami took a pass from Diomande and drove past O’Hara to seal the points that had looked unlikely after half an hour.

What’s coming up in the Scottish Premiership?