Rangers continue to limp towards the end of a Scottish Premiership campaign that has never been dull, even if it has never been particularly enjoyable.
The nature of the dramatic draw with Aberdeen was more funny than one to savour, particularly as it ruined both their fans’ and those of Celtic’s day – who have to wait another week for the title to be confirmed.
Barry Ferguson clearly prioritised the Europa League clash with Athletic Club on Thursday with a makeshift defence never really looking comfortable.
At the other end of the park though, there was a reminder that this Rangers squad does have decent depth in terms of scoring goals, they just need to remember how to keep them out.
One player in particular impressed the interim Rangers manager with Findlay Curtis given his first start for the club and letting nobody down in the process.
Barry Ferguson fires back as Findlay Curtis makes first Rangers start
Ferguson didn’t do Curtis any favours to start with, playing Curtis in more of a wing-back role before a change in formation saw the Rangers academy youngster moved into his natural attacking position on the wing.
An assist for Hamza Igamane was a highlight, but he was also unlucky to have adjudged to have ran the ball out of play when Rangers scored shortly before half-time.
Curtis was beaten in the build up to Aberdeen’s second, not that Ferguson was having any criticism:
“I disagree with you in the first half, I thought the young man was excellent. I disagree that he had a tough time,” Ferguson said in response to a question suggesting that Curtis had struggled.
“Overall I thought the full game until I brought him off, I thought young Findlay was really good. I must have been watching a different game because I thought the first half the young man was excellent. As I’ve said before, you’ve got to remember we’re aged there, we’ve not exposed him a lot.
“There’s not been a lot of exposure and especially coming to Aberdeen, it’s intimidating at times. But I thought the young man, I was proud of him today, proud of him.”
Has Curtis done enough to earn regular game time?
It has taken a while after impressing in an earlier cup game but, the teenage winger deserved his chance.
Fans have been demanding that Curtis plays for some time given how prolific he has been for the B team and academy age groups over the last couple of seasons.
On a difficult pitch against motivated opposition, Curtis more than held his own and certainly looked more comfortable than Ross McCausland, whose second season in the first team has never got going.
This is how the academy should work, give one player a sustained chance, if they don’t take it, move to the next in line – and Curtis certainly took his.
