RANGERS and Kilmarnock face a Scottish Cup fifth round replay at Ibrox after a goalless draw at Rugby Park on Saturday.

Steven Gerrard’s side were held in Ayrshire as James Tavernier missed a first half penalty and neither side could find the breakthrough.

It was a competitive cup clash as Steve Clarke’s side again impressed against the Old Firm and they will now head to Glasgow a week on Wednesday.

One of the changes that boss Gerrard made was enforced as Jermain Defoe came in for the suspended Alfredo Morelos, but the other that saw Andy Halliday replace Borna Barisic at left-back was tactical. Allan McGregor, offered a two-game ban by the Scottish FA on Friday night, was between the sticks here.

It was the Rangers keeper that was the busier in the opening stages as Killie started brightly. A Conor McAleny effort from distance had McGregor beaten but the ball rose just over the bar inside three minutes.

That was an early warning for the visitors and Clarke’s side came close again when Chris Burke fired in a free-kick from the right. McGregor did well to get down and clear the danger at his near post, though.

A penalty box scramble on the half hour mark aside, that was all Kilmarnock offered before the break. A Burke corner saw Kirk Broadfoot and Youssouf Mulumbu denied as the ball rebounded around the area before being cleared.

Gerrard would have been fairly satisfied with his side in a defence sense as they largely stifled their hosts but Rangers had to be better in attack.

The Gers had the perfect chance to open the scoring after a quarter of an hour but Tavernier, for the second time in a week, missed from the penalty spot.

Ryan Kent did superbly to win the ball from Stephen O’Donnell and set up Scott Arfield and Broadfoot was penalised for handball as he went to ground to block the midfielder’s shot.

The travelling fans behind the goal stood in anticipation but it was the home support that were celebrating as Daniel Bachmann pulled off a terrific save to deny Tavernier.

Kent and Daniel Candeias on the opposite flank were dangerous when they got on the ball but Rangers were losing the midfield battle as Arfield, Ryan Jack and Ross McCrorie struggled to assert themselves.

Jack was lucky to escape injury when Alan Power caught him in the face with a high boot on the edge of the area. After receiving treatment, he was able to continue.

Whistler Alan Muir only issued a yellow card to the Killie midfielder but a red wouldn’t have been unjust. In a week of refereeing controversies, this was another one to add to the list.

That was the only punishment there was for Kilmarnock, with Bachmann easily holding Tavernier’s free-kick. From a similar position on the stroke of half-time, Rangers wasted their final chance of a tight first 45 minutes.

Gerrard would have demanded better from his side at the interval but there was concern for McCrorie and Power shortly after the restart. Both players received treatment after a serious clash of heads and the Kilmarnock man was unable to continue as he was replaced by Kris Boyd.

The action was combative and competitive, but chances weren’t arriving with any regularity as Rangers failed to make the most of the promising positions they got themselves into.

Joe Worrall should have done better as he connected with a Halliday corner, the defender heading wide of target after he rose well in the area.

It was Rangers that looked the most likely to score and Defoe had his first real chance of the night with 12 minutes remaining. McCrorie did well to win the ball and slip it through to the striker, but his shot across target was just wide of the far post.

That was as close as Defoe would come. Steven Davis replaced Arfield, while Kyle Lafferty was introduced in place of Defoe for the final minutes.

The on-loan Southampton midfielder dragged an injury-time effort wide from distance in what was to prove the last chance of the game. Now, both sides will have to do it all over again at Ibrox.