Rangers were left with plenty to think about ahead of their UEFA Cup clash with Parma after Stewart Petrie's goal lifted Dunfermline off the foot of the Premier League table.

Roddy Forsyth reports (BBC Radio 5 Live)

He replaced David Graham in the 73rd minute and needed only three minutes to equalise after Giovanni van Bronckhorst had opened the scoring in the 16th minute.

Hundreds of Rangers fans showed their disapproval by streaming out of the ground with five minutes remaining and the team were jeered at the final whistle by those who stayed to the bitter end.

Dick Advocaat's side dominated possession but showed little urgency and offered only an occasional threat to the Dunfermline defence.

Rangers went into the match without striker Jonatan Johansson (hamstring injury), while Dunfermline manager Bert Paton made a tactical switch, employing Andy Smith in midfield instead of up front.

A sloppy piece of defending by home skipper Lorenzo Amoruso allowed Edinho to break free early on but his shot was safely taken by keeper Antti Niemi.

Rangers made the breakthrough in their first real attack when van Bronckhorst rattled the ball home from 20 yards after a shot from Andrei Kanchelskis had been blocked by Dunfermline defender Greg Shields.

They almost added a second in the 28th minute, only for keeper Lee Butler to tip over a header from Stephane Guivarc'h.

The crowd became increasingly frustrated as Rangers passed the ball about to little effect but Guivarc'h missed a glorious chance of extending their lead in the 53rd minute when he snatched at a shot and sent it wide.

Dunfermline were being forced to back-pedal and Butler did superbly well to beat away a fierce free-kick from Jorg Albertz.

But Rangers paid for their complacency in the 76th minute when Barry Ferguson failed to stay with Petrie after Hamish French played in a free-kick and the Dunfermline sub levelled the scores.

Rangers reacted in spirited fashion and Albertz saw a shot from 18 yards cleared off the line by Shields, which earned him a pat on the back from his colleagues.

Amoruso thumped a half-volley wide of the post in stoppage time as Rangers went for the winner but Dunfermline hung on for a point.

Rangers: Niemi, Porrini, Amoruso, Numan, Hendry, B. Ferguson, Kanchelskis, Van Bronckhorst, Albertz, Guivarc'h, Wallace. Subs: Durie, I. Ferguson, Nicholson, Vidmar, Brown.