THE celebrations on the touchline and in the stands were testament to the importance of the goal. 

For Ross McCrorie, it was even more significant, though.

It was a moment that encapsulated McCrorie’s performance at Pittodrie as he showed bravery and commitment to rise above Scott McKenna and head the ball into the corner of the net to pull Rangers level.

Amongst the joy and adrenaline rush, and as Jimmy Nicholl and the travelling fans roared with encouragement, there was a personal touch. McCrorie made a heart gesture with his hands and then pointed skyward.

It was only after the remaining half an hour of action that the reasoning became evident. It meant a lot to Rangers, but it meant more to McCrorie.

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“Getting the goal was what I needed to get the team back on level terms,” he said. “All the boys are disappointed in there. 

“I dedicate the goal to my gran. She has not got long to live so I hope she was watching and I made her proud.”

It won’t just be his showing against Aberdeen that will make McCrorie’s gran Margaret proud. There have been far more highs than lows for the 20-year-old this term and his goal on Tuesday night could prove to be one of his most telling contributions.

It was his 24th first team appearance of an impressive breakthrough campaign. McCrorie’s mind was always on the job in hand, but it was only natural it would divert to more personal matters.

“I have known for a couple of weeks,” he said. “But this is my job and I need to put that on the back burner and not let it affect me. These things happen in life.

“I spoke to [my family] before the game so hopefully I made her proud.

“When I was younger, I used to go to my gran’s every day before training and get my lunch. She has been a huge encouragement in my life.”

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The header from McCrorie was enough to earn Rangers a point at Pittodrie but it wasn’t enough to inspire them to go on and collect all three as Nicholl’s side missed the chance to move above the Dons in the Premiership standings.

McCrorie will have to watch on at the weekend when the Gers make the trip to Easter Road for the final 90 minutes of a tumultuous term. It will be all to play for in the battle to be best of the rest.

McCrorie said: “That (second place) would be for my gran, but that is the aim for the team going into the split. 

“On Sunday we will need to go out all guns blazing and hopefully get three points. We are relying on other results so we will see what happens.

“We are Rangers, we go into every game to go and win. It doesn’t change the mindset.”

McCrorie returned to the starting line-up against the Dons after being droppped for the 1-0 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday.

The Scotland youth international was taken out of the firing line after struggling during the 5-0 Old Firm defeat to Celtic the previous weekend.

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But, after called upon during the second half at Ibrox as Jason Cummings was forced off, he showed there were no ill-effects of his Parkhead disappointment as Nicholl took charge for the second time.

He said: "You are going to have ups and downs in your football career and Jimmy was protecting me. 

"He took me to the side and those words will be private. That was it really."

Victory on Tuesday night would have put Rangers in pole position to finish second this season but it was, once again, an opportunity missed, a case of what might have been.

Nicholl lamented the decision from referee Steven McLean and the reaction of his players either side of the penalty from Kenny McLean that gave Aberdeen a controversial lead after a quarter of an hour.

Rangers had started well at Pittodrie but it took until after the break for them to recover from the setback of going behind. The words in the away dressing room did the trick but the win that they sought eluded them in the end.

“It was between the players as well,” McCrorie said of the half-time debrief. “We all knew we didn’t turn up in the first half but second half we came out a lot better. We were still disappointed not to get the three points. 

"It was really frustrating because we got off to a good start in the first 15 minutes and that has put us on the back foot, that goal, and we have had to come back.

“I thought the second half was a lot better performance but we have put ourselves in a difficult decision for Sunday. We just have to go for the victory and see what happens elsewhere.”