PERHAPS those naughty boys in the Rangers end brought along all those smoke bombs and bangers in an attempt to wake their players up to the realities of what lies ahead in this powderkeg end to the Championship season.

If that was, indeed, the reason for the pyrotechnics that went on from start to finish during this damp squib of a game in Livingston, it did not work.

Stuart McCall's side may have got themselves a point clear of Hibernian with three games to play thanks to a Marius Zaliukas header that cancelled out a spectacular opening goal from Myles Hippolyte, but any sense of momentum that was building a week or two ago has gone.

This was another disappointing display against the bottom team in the table that has taken the Ibrox club's run of form on the road to just one win in five fixtures ahead of Saturday's trip to Dumbarton.

McCall's demand for an end to the slackness that underpinned a 4-0 weekend win over Raith Rovers was not heeded. His players were considerably less effective and never really got going.

Reading between the lines of the statements issued on their respective websites, it would appear that Hearts and Hibernian, these most unexpected of bedfellows, may actually believe the authorities are doing what they can to help guide Rangers through the play-offs. They certainly need all the assistance they can get on this form.

With the issue of sporting integrity, that well-established and now rather inflammatory phrase in footballing circles, returning to the public arena like the proverbial bad penny, it was almost inevitable that there would be a bit of controversy in this affair and the first dollop came after just seven minutes when the home side had a goal chalked off.

Jason Talbot, the home captain, delivered a looping cross from the left that presented a seemingly straightforward task for Cammy Bell.

The visiting goalkeeper jumped high under pressure from Jordan White to claim the ball with both hands, but spilled it after landing on the turf.

Hippolyte reacted with greater speed than anyone to knock it along the ground and into the net from seven yards, but his joy was to be short-lived with the referee, Greg Aitken, disallowing his effort for an infringement on Bell.

There did not appear to be a terrific amount in White's endeavours to put Bell under pressure. If anything, it seemed to be the impact from landing on the ground that caused the ball to squirm loose. Aitken's call, if nothing else, was controversial and open to interpretation.

It was certainly one of the few matters of interest in a poor opening period containing little in the way of cohesive, purposeful football.

Livingston are battling for their lives and it is harsh to expect much more from them. For Rangers, though, this remains nowhere near good enough.

Haris Vuckic, the Rangers midfielder, saw a shot from inside the area blocked by Darren Cole early on and was perhaps a little fortunate not to find himself in deeper trouble with Aitken on 34 minutes when appearing to drop Talbot with a flailing arm midway inside his own half after the Livingston left-back had been stopped in his tracks by a crunching challenge from Lee McCulloch.

A free-kick was awarded, but Aitken opted to keep his cards in his pocket.

That opportunity from a set-piece was badly squandered by Mark Burchill's side, but there would be no similar profligacy two minutes into the second half. The goal from Hippolyte that really lit the touchpaper under this match was a thing of some beauty.

McCulloch had been penalised for fouling White around 25 yards out and the 20-year-old Englishman did the rest. He curled a lovely, left-footed effort around the defensive wall and set off towards the bench in exuberant celebration as it made its way into the top corner.

It was a strike that certainly woke up the home supporters.

Unfortunately for the side stationed at the bottom of the Championship, it brought Rangers out of their slumbers as well. Just two minutes later, the game was level.

Vuckic floated a free-kick into the penalty area and Zaliukas, facing the wrong way, produced the most deft of headers to send the ball bouncing into the net to goalkeeper Darren Jamieson's right. Within moments, Vuckic had come within inches of putting Rangers in front after moving onto a cutback from Kenny Miller and seeing an instinctive shot come off the base of the upright and somehow evade all blue jerseys inside the six-yard box.

This was not to become one-way traffic, though, and there was a loud claim for a penalty-kick from Livingston with 19 minutes to go.

Scott Pittman had moved

across Zaliukas just at the edge of the area before going to ground at speed.

It is perhaps telling that he did not complain too vigorously. Others in the stadium did, though. Again, Aitken had the courage of his own convictions and blocked out their protests.

He was the subject of some abuse from the away fans in injury-time as well when booking Vuckic for diving. Maybe the game's not entirely bent, after all. Maybe Rangers aren't being given special dispensation. Perhaps it is just that the people in power really don't know what they're doing.