A late equaliser from Paul Furlong has given Rangers a share of the points against ten man Millwall.

Rangers had looked shaky against Millwall in a deadlocked first half and the Lions took the lead through Barry Hayles just before Adrian Serioux was dismissed.

But a late piece of magic from Rangers leading striker salvaged a point for the Superhoops.

The only change to the line-up from the team which beat Burnley on Saturday saw Gino Padula in for the injured Martin Rowlands with Marcus Bignot taking up the right midfield position.

Frankie Simek slotted in at right back and Georges Santos partnered Matthew Rose in the centre of defence.

The London derby brought with it a deafening noise from the Loftus Road crowd and Rangers responded by stroking the ball around well in the opening minutes.

Marc Bircham was the first to have a crack on goal and how fitting it would have been for him to score past his former club. Gathering the ball 20 yards from goal with no one picking him up, the former Lion sent a dipping shot goalwards but failed to test the keeper.

A mazy run from Santos that saw him weave through the entire Millwall midfield saw the ball eventually fall to Bircham and he once again attempted an audacious shot which made its way towards the upper Loft.

On the 20 minute mark, the game suddenly kicked into life. Great work from Marcus Bignot saw him cut into the box from the right wing, lose his man and find Paul Furlong waiting on the edge of the box.

Dennis Wise just did enough however to slide in and deny Furlong his 10^th league goal of the season. Lee Cook regained possession for Rangers but had to watch as his flick on fell wide of the far post.

Millwall were then gifted a golden opportunity to take the lead. Chris Day failed to collect the ball from a corner and somehow seemed to bat the ball into the path of Mark Phillips who was unmarked at the far post.

While Day was busy reassuming his position, Phillips seemed to have an absolute age to dig the ball out from under his feet and all he had to do was simply to stroke the ball over the goal line.

Instead he skewed his shot and the ball was hastily cleared to safety.

Rangers' last attempt on goal before the half time whistle blew fell to Matthew Rose after Padula sent the ball into the area. Rose launched himself at the ball but his header failed to hit the target.

Rangers were going to have to step up the pace in the second half if they were to come away with at least a draw.

If anything, Rangers had put on a tentative display in the opening 45 minutes, allowing Millwall to dictate the pace of the game. But Rangers have shown of late that they are better than the football they were currently playing and the hope that it would soon be resumed began along with the second half.

Any immediate hopes were soon dashed however just five minutes after the re-start as Millwall took the lead.

Matthew Rose looked to have done enough after twice denying the Lions. First he cut out David Livermore's cross and then headed clear as the ball was whipped back in.

But as the ball bobbled in the area, Barry Hayles nipped in to beat the offside trap and coolly slotted beyond Day.

Ian Holloway then showed his intentions to get something from the game by throwing on Kevin McLeod and Tony Thorpe for Padula and Serge Branco.

Since picking up an earlier booking, it seemed as though Santos had been scared to tackle his man, so when Hayles steamed through the Frenchman could only stand and watch him pass him by.

Luckily though, Hayles blazed his effort over the bar.

Rangers were gifted some hope moments later when Adrian Serioux saw red for an act of childishness.

Cook was marking the throw in when the man famous for his lengthy throws instead decided to belt the ball against Cook. After consulting with his linesman, the referee decided a straight red was the only option.

Instead of Rangers taking hold of the game and using the advantage of being a man up, it was Millwall who pressed next and looked certain to extend their lead. Jo Tessem squared the ball to an unmarked Livermore and just as the Loft had braced itself to see the net bulge, the Millwall man blasted over.

Rangers continued to press but to no avail and even though Santos was moved up front to put some pressure on the lofty Lions defence, the Rangers team that had looked so full of attacking options against Burnley on Saturday, now seemed to be lost for ideas.

Kevin Gallen then has his first real effort of the half with six minutes remaining when he got on the end of Cook's cross. Picking up the ball on the edge of the box, the Rangers skipper failed to hit the target as his dipping shot flew over.

Just as all hope was looking lost without a trace, Furlong hit his double figures tally for the season to rescue the game for Rangers.

Lurking on the edge of the box, Furlong collected the ball from Gallen and whipped home a low drive to make for an exciting final three minutes.

Suddenly it was a different game and Rangers were all of a sudden a different team as they very nearly won the game in the dying stages.

Santos allowed the ball to run for McLeod and he managed to work the ball past a flailing Graham Stack in goal. With the goal at his mercy, McLeod lifted the ball over Stack, but had to watch as it rolled wide of the far post.

Millwall almost stole back their lead in injury time when Kevin Muscat flew in at goal, but Bignot stole in to ricochet the ball over the bar.

A hard fought point which was needed as Rangers look to keep up the pace at the top of the table.

Rangers: Day, Simek, Padula (McLeod 59), Rose, Santos, Bignot, Bircham, Branco (Thorpe 59), Cook, Furlong, Gallen

Subs: Cole, Bean, McLeod, Donnelly

Scorers: Furlong 87

Bookings: Santos, Bircham, Bignot

Millwall: Stack, Lawrence, Tessam, Serioux, Livermore, Ward, Muscat, Wise, Morris (Simpson 25), Hayles, Phillips

Subs: Marshall, McCammon, Elliott, Dunne

Scorers: Hayles 50

Bookings: Hayles

Att: 16,685

Referee: P J Prosser