RANGERS failed to score for the first time this season as they were held to a goalless draw by Kilmarnock at Ibrox this afternoon.
Mark Warburton’s side will now have to head to Rugby Park for a fifth round replay if they are to continue on the road to Hampden this term.
The Gers had chances to see off their Premiership visitors but Killie stood firm as Lee McCulloch earned a draw in his first match as interim boss.
Clinching a place in the quarter-finals was the main aim at Ibrox but there was a focus on off-field matters once again before kick-off as supporters protested against Mike Ashley and Sports Direct.
Hundreds of fans gathered at the Megastore for another demonstration towards the Newcastle United chief as tensions remain high following a series of legal moves in recent weeks.
There were chants against Ashley from the home crowd and a #SportsDirectShame banner was draped from the Sandy Jardine Stand, while other banners paid tribute to former Gers skipper McCulloch.
On the park, boss Warburton selected the same side that beat Raith Rovers on Tuesday night and there was a welcome boost for the Light Blues as midfielder Jason Holt returned to the squad after a spell on the sidelines through injury.
Rangers were favourites to see off their Premiership visitors but it was Killie who should have opened the scoring after just seven minutes, Josh Magennis seeing his header go narrowly wide of Wes Foderingham’s post as the Light Blues were given an early reprieve.
Warburton’s side once again saw plenty of the ball but they struggled to break down a compact Killie defensive line as clear chances proved hard to come by at Ibrox.
Lee Wallace saw a stinging shot saved by keeper Jamie MacDonald after Kenny Miller and Barrie McKay combined well on the edge of the area before fellow full-back James Tavernier rattled the post with a sweetly struck shot.
On 27 minutes, there were penalty appeals after McKay jinked his way into the area but as referee Bobby Madden waved away the shouts, Killie broke and Tope Obadeyi forced Foderingham into a smart stop at the near post.
It wasn’t the last time in the first half the Gers keeper was forced into action, the Englishman saving well from Craig Slater just after McKay had tried his luck from distance at the other end.
Rangers continued to find Killie tough to break through after the restart as they once again had to be patient in the final third.
Andy Halliday almost found the bottom corner from 25 yards but keeper MacDonald made a good save before Warburton made two changes, Holt and Harry Forrester replacing Miller and Gedion Zelalem.
Just minutes later, Halliday should have given Rangers the lead but he couldn’t get a decisive touch on a whipped Tavernier free-kick as the wait went on for Warburton’s side.
Rangers were forced into a tactical reshuffle as Rob Kiernan limped off and was replaced by Nicky Law as Dominic Ball stepped back to partner Danny Wilson at centre half.
And it was the former Hearts skipper who had Rangers’ next chance as he saw his header from a Forrester corner come back off the bar before Waghorn found the side of MacDonald’s net.
Wilson then fired a low shot just wide of target before Wallace saw his drive deflected just wide and Waghorn fluffed his lines when in plenty of space as he failed to control a McKay cross.
Killie were reduced to ten men with just a couple of minutes remaining as Kallum Higginbotham saw red for a rash challenge on Tavernier.
But Warburton’s side couldn’t make the most of their numerical advantage as they were held at Ibrox.
RANGERS: Foderingham; Tavernier, Wilson, Kiernan (Law 73), Wallace; Ball, Halliday, Zelalem (Forrester 60); Waghorn, Miller (Holt 60), McKay
KILMARNOCK: McDonald; Hodson, Balatoni, Findlay, Smith; McKenzie, Dicker (O’Hara 64), Slater, Obadeyi (Higginbotham 73); Kiltie, Magennis
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