Rangers' season's woes may have been largely self-inflicted, but Inverness Caledonian Thistle have played a notable supporting role.

Trapped in the pitiful, pointless dungeon of the bottom six, the Highlanders overcame their condemned status to inflict more untimely misery on another Rangers manager. Walter Smith was this time left to grope for explanations as Caley Thistle recovered from the dual punishment of an ordering off and instant arrears to leave Ibrox in weary silence.

Prior to kick-off, Jon Daly's last-minute leveller against Celtic at Tannadice indulged the wildest imaginations. Alas, any fanciful notions of a third - and most remarkable - grandstand season finale were reduced to utter fantasy as Craig Dargo plopped home an equaliser for one of the band of bogey teams to have haunted Rangers throughout a ruinous campaign.

Astonishingly, in slogging their way out of adversity, Thistle claimed a seventh point from a possible nine against a side possessing about as much conviction as Labour's Scottish election campaign.

Already, Smith is far removed from avuncular custodian of the nation's football fortunes. In two short months, he has restored spine and spirit to the Rangers team and was pointedly non-plussed by the reversion to type. His short, sharp analysis conveyed his opinion, shared by the majority of a 50,000 audience, that his players ought to have been applying sheen by half-time. "We were guilt of being over-elaborate," he said. "We were far too deliberate in our build-up."

Thistle were sustained by a persecution complex cultivated by the cumulative cursed events of the 13th minute. Barry Ferguson's speculative overhead kick from the half-way line confused everyone and sent Kris Boyd on an instinctive scavenger hunt only for the striker to be crudely road-blocked by Darren Dods.

Willie Collum, the Peter Pan of pea-blowing, had little hesitation in dismissing the burly centre-back and by the time he had made his way to the away dressing room to contemplate his folly, Charlie Adam had lashed the resultant free-kick beyond Michael Fraser.

In moments like these, Charlie Christie will have felt vindicated in mooting a surprise end to an impressive if reluctant stint as manager. What followed might as easily have effected a change of heart. Far from being outnumbered and outmanoeuvred by their territorial superiors, Christie sacrificed Markus Paatelainen for Stuart McCaffrey and just started from scratch.

They survived the expected onslaught and were spared from the sharpest shooter in Scotland. Boyd, a much more pronounced threat in the company of Dado Prso, spurned a hat trick of opportunities; the margin of error negligible and the expertise of Fraser essential in one point-blank instance.

At times, it was difficult to determine who played through the numerical disadvantage. Thistle have not preserved their SPL status without sheer hard work, but constant praise of their labours has not only become patronising but crudely inaccurate. "Of course we work hard, but we have shown this season, especially against Rangers, that we have quality as well as strength and desire," said Christie. "I thought we moved the ball better with 10 men than 11. There are few teams who will recover from going a man and a goal down at Ibrox, but we are one of them."

Their indefatigability was in contrast to Rangers' impotence. Smith has already highlighted areas of essential maintenance when the transfer window opens in the summer, but that is of little comfort to a side staggering to second place.

Graham Bayne terrorised Sasa Papac on his last visit to Ibrox and flourished even when faced with a visibly emboldened Bosnian on Saturday. They engaged in engrossing combat, with David Weir often in place to deal with the wreckage. McCaffrey fought manfully with Prso, like two rutting, if slightly arthritic, stags.

Richard Hastings and Russell Duncan provided gusto from midfield while John Rankin offered the kind of enthusiastic output known to provoke a less wholesome response. Amid such toil, Brahim Hemdani invariably emerges with the sponsors' man of the match award. It is as predictable as Filip Sebo continuing his drought.

Hemdani has kept Kevin Thomson out of central midfield, no surprise given the former Hibernian player's slow rate of integration. The Algerian is monotonously methodical and when he is feted, it usually spells trouble. There were few pass marks. Papac continues to look a more imposing presence than the fragile Ugo Ehiogu and if he can maintain his form may be spared from the summer cull.

Adam, meanwhile, might just be the lasting legacy of the Paul Le Guen era. The Frenchman has rightly been condemned for naivete in his signing policy but his insistence on restoring the podgy midfielder after a loan spell at St Mirren continues to be vindicated even after his departure. The 21-year-old scored his 11th goal of the season, a midfield return not witnessed since Ferguson's contribution to Rangers' treble-winning season.

Adam has, to coin a popular phrase, plenty junk in the trunk, but he also possesses a plum left foot. A free-kick expert and crossing conjuror, he will continue to prosper with a more dedicated approach to his physical conditioning.

Alan Hutton's limitations have been regularly explored in these pages, but it would be remiss to ignore his rejuvenation. Hutton was Rangers' most efficient operator, despite the sponsors' traditional cop-out. He has allied purpose with pace and displayed a maturity in his decision making. As a result of his improved efforts, his confidence has been spared by the support.

Ultimately, Rangers' tedious possession backfired, enabling the visitors to eke out a hard-fought draw. Hastings' left-foot cross evaded the defence and Bayne's header back across goal was feasted on by the diminutive Dargo.