Ten-man Motherwell grabbed a late equaliser for a point, which was the least they deserved after dominating Rangers for most of the game.
The Ibrox men had a goal advantage after Nico Raskin’s fifth-minute opener and a man advantage for the final 13 minutes after Lukas Fadinger was shown a red card after VAR’s intervention.
In between, though, Danny Rohl’s men were second best for large parts of the game as Butland pulled off a string of saves to keep his side ahead.
In his first game since returning from Celtic, it was perhaps appropriate that Stephen Welsh grabbed the late equaliser with his first goal for the club to earn them a point and extend their unbeaten run at Fir Park to nine games.
Motherwell were boosted by the return of Elliot Watt, who returned to the starting 11 for the first time since the 3rd of January. There was also a spot on the bench for Regan Charles-Cook, who returned, having been missing since the 20th of December.
Stephen O’Donnell was placed at right-back to replace the injured Johnny Koutroumbis, with Stephen Welsh making his second debut, having returned to the club for a second loan spell on Deadline Day.
Emmanuel Longelo was also restored to the 11, with Tom Sparrow dropping to the bench, as did Oscar Priestman.
After two postponed games due to unplayable pitches at Dundee and Aberdeen, Motherwell finally got their first match in February, although the Fir Park playing surface had also deteriorated due to the inclement weather.
Jens Berthel Askou immediately inserted Stephen Welsh into his back four after the defender returned to extend his loan period from Celtic. That allowed Stephen O’Donnell to move to right full-back, with Emmanuel Longelo starting on the opposite side.
There was also a return from injury for playmaker Elliot Watt, as the Well line-up had a familiar look about it.
And the Steelmen could have been ahead after only five minutes when the full backs combined at the opposite end. O’Donnell’s deep cross found Longelo beyond the back post, and his drive at goal was blocked by Jack Butland, only for Longelo to see his second attempt go wide.
From Butland’s goal kick, Mo Diomande carried the ball towards the home box before playing the ball through to Raskin, who calmly slotted it past Calum Ward and ended his impressive shutout record.
The Fir Park side responded terrifically to that setback as they set about pressing the Ibrox side deep into their own half. That resulted in Gers conceding numerous free kicks around their penalty area.
After Callum Slattery had one effort blocked, Elliot Watt bent his free kick around the wall and left Butland scrambling across his goal to push it round his post.
The pressure on the keeper’s goal continued. O’Donnell’s superb pass over John Souttar allowed Tawanda Maswanhise his first opening, but after dragging the ball away from goal, from a very tight angle, he rattled the ball off Butland’s post.
O’Donnell had a great spell down the right and then diverted Elijah Just’s free kick back across goal where Paul McGinn and Welsh, from under the crossbar, couldn’t force the ball into the net.
Despite commanding the bulk of the play around the Rangers’ box, the visitors nearly sneaked a second goal 10 minutes from the break. Youssef Chermiti found himself free 16 yards from goal, but Ward stood firm to push the striker’s fierce shot away.
Watt, after a hectic and hard-working first half, remained in the dressing room at the interval, with Oscar Priestman taking his place in front of the back four.
While Rangers looked content to defend their slender lead, Motherwell continued to be patient in possession and build up towards the visitor’s goal.
After 62 minutes, Slattery tried to force his way through a packed box before being blocked, but appeals for a penalty only earned him just a yellow card.
Four minutes later Just worked his way into the box on the right before his drive forced Butland into a smart save at his near post.
Having put in a superb shift for 68 minutes, Said and O’Donnell made way for Tom Sparrow and Eythor Bjorgolfsson.
That should have set up the home side for a grandstand finish, but 13 minutes from time, after reviewing Lukas Fadinger’s tackle on Mickey Moore, referee Steven McLean upgraded his yellow card to a red, leaving the home side with 10 men for the remainder of the game.
The ‘Well boss made his final change of the evening, bringing on Sam Nicholson and Regan Charles-Cook to keep pressing for an equaliser.
It almost arrived when McGinn’s deep cross found Bjorgolfsson in the six-yard box, and his downward header sent the ball high towards goal, forcing Butland to palm it behind for a corner.
Rangers failed to clear the danger, and Nicholson’s raking long ball found Bjorgolfsson, who nodded the ball back into the six-yard box, where Welsh knocked the ball beyond the ‘keeper and into the far corner for a richly deserved point.
Motherwell Team: Ward, O’Donnell, McGinn, Welsh, Longelo, Fadinger, Watt, Slattery, Said, Maswanhise, Just.
Motherwell Subs: Connelly, Gordon, McGhee, Sparrow, Priestman, Ross, Nicholson, Charles-Cook, Bjørgolfsson.
