St Mirren came from behind twice to grab a share of the spoils against Rangers at The SMiSA Stadium.
Captain Mark O'Hara drew the Buddies level just before the half-time interval after Cyriel Dessers had fired Rangers in front just a few minutes earlier. Nicolas Raskin put the Ibrox side ahead for a second time early in the second-half, but substitute Conor McMenamin equalised with a little over 15 minutes remaining to ensure a point remained in Paisley.
There was just one change from the side that defeated Ross County prior to the split with the now departed Toyosi Olusanya replaced by Mikael Mandron.
Stephen Robinson's men got at Rangers from the off and could have opened the scoring early when O'Hara robbed the ball from John Souttar deep in the Rangers half. He drove into the box but got his attempted pass all wrong as he looked to find Mandron and that allowed the Gers defence to clear.
The visitors should have taken the lead on 13 minutes when a ball over the top found Dessers. The striker had stayed onside and found himself one-on-one with Zach Hemming, but somehow fired way over from close-range.
Mandron then passed up a glorious opportunity to put Saints ahead just before the hour mark. Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly played the ball straight to the forward who sent his effort over the bar when it was looked like he was certain to make it 1-0.
Rangers scored against the run of play three minutes before the break to go in-front. Dessers collected a pass from Raskin and shot low beyond Hemming from 20 yards. But the Buddies would draw themselves level just two minutes later when a Killian Phillips throw-in eventually fell to O'Hara to lash home.
Mark O'Hara celebrates after his equaliser (Pic: Allan Picken)
Barry Ferguson's side took the lead for a second time seven minutes after the restart when Raskin fired home from the edge of the area.
The Buddies made two changes on 63 minutes with the introduction of Roland Idowu and McMenamin in place of Caolan Boyd-Munce and Jonah Ayunga. Within a minute of the change, Idowu came agonisingly close to making it 2-2. Brilliant pressure from Phillips saw him steal the ball from Souttar and backheel into the path of Idowu who looked set to turn beyond Kelly only for the Gers stopper to save with his feet.
It was the other substitute that would draw Stephen Robinson's side level after a great passage of play culminated in McMenamin sweeping home Declan John's low cross from close range. A lengthy VAR checked ensued for offside, but the goal would stand and Saints had equalised for a second time.
Heading into six additional minutes of time at the end of the match, Rangers substitute Vaclav Cerny saw an effort pushed away by Hemming, while Owen Oseni could have won it in the dying seconds for Saints when he was found by Hemming but the striker couldn't find the target.
It meant a point for the Buddies, who have taken seven from Rangers this season, in the first post-split fixture and moves us to within eight points of fifth place Dundee United.
Full-Time: St Mirren 2-2 Rangers
St Mirren: Hemming, Fraser, Gogic, Taylor, Alebiosu, Phillips, Boyd-Munce (Idowu 63), O'Hara (c), John (Tanser 80), Mandron (Oseni 90), Ayunga (McMenamin 63)
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Iacovitti, Smyth, Kiltie, Scott
Rangers: Kelly, Tavernier, Souttar, Propper, Nsiala (Bajrami 87), Jefte, Raskin, Rice (Barron 85), Diomande, Igamane, Dessers (Cerny 76)
Subs Not Used: Butland, Cortes, Hagi, Curtis, McAllion, Danilo
Referee: Colin Steven
Assistant Referee: Graeme Stewart
Assistant Referee: Gordon McCabe
Fourth Official: Matthew MacDermid
VAR: Grant Irvine
Attendance: 7,019
