Substitute Max Aarons latched onto a loose ball and lashed it past Jerome Prior deep into injury time to earn Rangers their first win of the season in the Scottish Premiership at their sixth attempt.
The goal, following a corner on the right, sparked celebrations on the terraces around three of the four sides in the ground. Livingston fans felt deflated after a strong performance.
The home side went behind after 23 minutes when James Tavernier volleyed home from close after an Oliver Antman cross to break the deadlock in an entertaining tussle in beautiful Autumnal conditions at the Home of the Set Fare arena.
Minutes later, the struggling Ibrox men could have doubled their lead but razor-sharp Prior saved a penalty kick from Tavernier after industrious Nicolas Raskin had his shirt tugged in the box at a corner.
The penalty was awarded after a VAR check, but Prior kept his cool. Rangers then had a goal by Derek Cornelius ruled out before half-time, but Livingston came out fighting after the break.
Mo Sylla levelled after 68 minutes, heading home unchallenged from close in, after a cross from the right by Adam Montgomery, and that signalled an all-out assault by Russell Martin’s men.
They buzzed around Livingston’s penalty area with under-pressure head coach, Russell Martin, almost perpetual motion, trying to orchestrate a victory, from the dugout until the end of normal time.
In desperation, the visitors ramped up that assault going into injury time. They forced three corners and counted through 25-year-old Aarons, his first goal for the club since arriving on loan from English-based Premier League outfit, Bournemouth.
Livingston’s manager, David Martindale, confirmed that 500 tickets allocated to Rangers remained unsold for the game. Possibly an indication of the continuing dissatisfaction felt by some at the Ranger’s poor start to the season.
Martindale believes he has quality in his dressing-room and felt that his men staged one of their better performances against the Ibrox side.
He added: “I genuinely came into this (game) thinking we could take something from the game.” He so nearly did.
Martin told the media he was proud of his players and added: “The players are fighting so hard for each other. The gap between the first half and the second half is too big. I really enjoyed some of the first half and the character in the second.”
Rangers move on and face SK Sturm Graz, second in the Austrian Bundesliga, in the Europa League on Thursday. They edged Hartberg in the league 1-0 on Sunday, collecting the points in the fifth minute of injury time after an own goal, and then visit newly-promoted, Falkirk, on Sunday (15.00). Livingston visit Dundee United in the Premiership on Saturday (15.00).
MEDIA FOCUS: Russell Martin meets the press at Livingston. Picture Nigel Duncan
OPPS: A sprinkler goes close to Rangers fans as they wait for the kick-off. Picture Nigel Duncan
FLARE: Rangers fans light up the Home of the Set Fare. Picture Nigel Duncan
WAITING GAME: Fans wait for their favourites post-game at Livingston. Picture by Nigel Duncan
