Pedro Caixinha's record as Rangers boss remains an unbeaten one but they have only won once in his three games in charge. On Sunday, they travel to take on an Aberdeen side who registered a tenth straight home league win over Inverness on Tuesday. In the absence of captain Lee Wallace, fellow full-back Lee Hodson and central defenders Rob Kiernan and Danny Wilson, centre-back David Bates and left-back Myles Beerman made their Rangers debuts alongside the more experienced Tavernier and Danny Wilson. And Killie sought to unsettle the inexperienced and unfamiliar back four early in the match.
Gary Dicker headed into the hands of Wes Foderingham, Kris Boyd claimed unsuccessfully for a penalty after coming into collision with Wilson and Conor Sammon's attempted cross drifted narrowly past. The hosts did not have it all their own way, however, and Emerson Hyndman's low drive was held by Woodman. And the keeper did well to push out Garner's header before watching Martyn Waghorn nod over for the visitors. Rangers' deliveries from set pieces often let them down, but from one telling Barrie McKay delivery Garner's header was touched on to the crossbar by Woodman and Sammon survived penalty claims after his arm made contact with another McKay cross.
Tavernier was next to test the on-loan Newcastle United goalkeeper, the full-back's downward header parried away. Other than the Garner and Tavernier headers, there were a distinct lack of shots on target. Woodman twice snuffed out Waghorn at close proximity and Sammon should have done better than head into the hands of Foderingham when unmarked. And Tavernier's free-kick sailed well over before Killie's Longstaff nodded past the left-hand post in stoppage time.
