Rangers had striker Lee McCulloch sent off and missed the chance to go level on points with leaders Celtic after a 1-1 draw at Aberdeen yesterday.

Charlie Adam put Rangers ahead on the half hour mark but lost McCulloch eight minutes later after a melee. Aberdeen equalised in first-half stoppage time through Lee Miller.

Champions Celtic, who drew 1-1 with Hibernian on Saturday, lead Rangers by two points but the Ibrox side have two games in hand.

"We're disappointed, even going down to 10 men, not to get the three points. I thought we played very well throughout the match," Rangers manager Walter Smith said.

Adam broke the deadlock when he ran in at the back post to meet McCulloch's low cross from the right and drill a five-metre shot back across goalkeeper Jamie Langfield into the net.

But the first half erupted following flying tackles by Rangers defender Alan Hutton and Aberdeen's Chris Clark on each other within three minutes.

Hutton scythed down Clark from behind, but the fierce, revenge tackle from the Aberdeen midfielder sparked more angry exchanges as players raced to the scene. Referee Kenny Clark eventually dismissed McCulloch for leaping into Aberdeen captain Scott Severin during the flashpoint.

Aberdeen soon equalised when Miller headed home from a few metres after keeper Allan McGregor palmed a low cross from the right by Richie Byrne up into the air.

French striker Daniel Cousin wasted a good opportunity to secure a victory for Rangers when he pounded clear in 64 minutes following Stevie Naismith's defence-splitting pass only for keeper Langfield to charge out and save with his feet.