Rangers celebrate scoring at FalkirkImage source, SNS

At a glance

  • Rangers back within point of Hearts after chaotic win

  • Falkirk two up after 26 minutes, but Rangers score four in 16 to lead

  • Hosts pull one back, but Chermiti and Miovski seal win

  • PLAYER RATER

Falkirk v Rangers highlights

12/04/2026

ByAmy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Falkirk Stadium

Rangers remarkably recovered from going two goals down to score six times against Falkirk in a chaotic nine-goal contest as they moved back within a point of Hearts in the absorbing Scottish Premiership title race.

After Derek McInnes' league leaders and Celtic won on Saturday, Danny Rohl's visitors got off to a terrible start, finding themselves 2-0 down after 26 minutes following goals from Ben Broggio and Finn Yeats.

At that point they were staring at a second league defeat under German boss Rohl.

But by full-time - seven goals later - those worries felt like a lifetime ago.

Only once previously this season had the Premiership's top three all won on the same weekend in this epic title battle. But that trend was bucked in the most bizarre manner.

Tochi Chukwuani's controversial finish three minutes before half-time - lashing in after Falkirk claimed a cross had gone out of play - kickstarted an incredible sequence of events.

John McGlynn's Falkirk had utterly outplayed their visitors for most of the opening 45 and Rohl recognised something had to change. The introduction of Bojan Miovksi for Mikey Moore at the break was that change.

It meant Djeidi Gassama was moved to the left and that brought an immediate dividend as he outmuscled Keelan Adams to tee up Youssef Chermiti to level.

Four frantic minutes later, Falkirk were behind as Nico Raskin rasped in from distance, and just six minutes after that the Belgium international turned provider, as Miovski – briefly – delivered daylight with a deadly volley.

The nerves were soon jangling among the away supporters as James Tavernier needlessly felled Filip Lissah, giving Calvin Miller the chance to haul Falkirk back to within one goal from the penalty spot.

Winger Miller came agonisingly close to netting another two minutes later in a frankly silly second half, but it was Chermiti who would score for a second time.

His smashing finish restored Rangers' two-goal lead and Miovski had the final say on a breathless, goal-laden afternoon with a simple finish.

It was about the only simple thing on an incredible day of title-race drama.

Graphic

Analysis: Falkirk lose way in second half against puzzling Rangers

This was breathless and brilliantly on-brand for this season. Half an hour into this game, few would have predicted the final outcome.

For the first half - particularly the opening 30 minutes - Rangers were rag-dolled down the wings especially. Miller terrorised Tavernier, while Broggio well and truly had the better of Jayden Meghoma.

Barney Stewart was running rings around the backline and it was two going on three or four. How McGlynn and co would have wished it was.

Falkirk were beyond comfortable against a slow and sloppy Rangers, but their visitors sharpened up out of all recognition in the second half.

As ruthless as Rohl's side were after the break, Falkirk lost all sense of structure and the composure which carried them not only in the first half, but in their charge to the top six after winning the Championship last term.

Rangers are just so puzzling. They were nowhere near it in the first half. They didn't look like they wanted it, and they certainly shouldn't have been surprised by the manner in which McGlynn's side came out the blocks.

But when they were on it, they were on it, boosting their goal difference and looking like a side up for a title scrap.

'More twists in most exciting race in 40 years'

Scottish Football Podcast

12/04/26

What they said

Media caption,

McGlynn bemoans late first-half concession to Rangers

Falkirk manager John McGlynn: "I though we started really, really well and I thought we had Rangers at that moment in time.

"Unfortunately, we're claiming for the ball to be out when we've got no idea if the ball is out or not. You know from under-10 level to play to the whistle. We're maybe a bit unlucky it lands at the boy's foot to score but it changed the game.

"The second half we were too soft in challenges. All the goals are poor and cheap. Fair play to Rangers, they got a lifeline and took it.

"We knew they would come at us and we just didn't have enough to prevent it. We've done so many good things this season we're not going to let it destroy us."

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl: "I'm proud of the outcome. The start was very difficult, not what we want. We needed to adapt to the conditions.

"The reaction from my group was crucial, to score to make it 2-1 before half-time. Second half was just one direction. We played forward, created a lot of chances.

"Three games in a row, with 14 goals, shows how we want to play. It's a consequence of the last few months and weeks. I try to give my team calmness and belief.

"I showed them solutions, but it's about my players - they delivered today. They were very honest to each other at half-time. My group has quality, spirit, belief and mentality to go until the end."

Media caption,

Rohl on Rangers' remarkable comeback

What next for these teams?

Falkirk are in Scottish Cup semi-final action against rivals Dunfermline on Saturday, 18 April. Kick off is 12:30 BST and it's live on the BBC.

Rangers play the first of their five post-split fixtures at home to Motherwell on Sunday, 26 April (15:00).

Player of the match

Number: 28 B. Miovski
Average rating 7.58
Number: 29 C. Miller
Average Rating: 6.89
Number: 16 B. Stewart
Average Rating: 6.79
Number: 14 F. Yeats
Average Rating: 6.75
Number: 11 B. Broggio
Average Rating: 6.61
Number: 5 L. Henderson
Average Rating: 6.55
Number: 28 F. Lissah
Average Rating: 6.52
Number: 6 C. Donaldson
Average Rating: 6.49
Number: 2 K. Adams
Average Rating: 6.36
Number: 8 B. Spencer
Average Rating: 6.32
Number: 21 D. Tait
Average Rating: 6.17
Number: 19 S. Bain
Average Rating: 6.16
Number: 27 B. Parkinson
Average Rating: 5.10
Number: 23 E. Ross
Average Rating: 4.80
Number: 22 K. Wilson
Average Rating: 4.70
Number: 17 H. Cartwright
Average Rating: 4.48

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.