There were famous faces in the best seats in the house as optimism over a new era abounded. John Greig, officially the Greatest Ever Ranger, was by Dave King’s side in the director’s box in a highly symbolic return to Ibrox. He was joined by one of the club’s greatest ever managers, Walter Smith, and John Brown, who can lay claim to some of the greatest ever declamations against the ousted boardroom regime. Rangers midfielder Haris Vuckic, on loan from Newcastle, celebrates putting the home side ahead at Ibrox . Young Queen of the South striker Aidan Smith (centre) wheels away to celebrate after scoring a late leveller . The greatness, somewhat predictably, stopped at the white lines of the pitch. This ramshackle group of players looked like they might just let the feelgood factor flourish when Newcastle loanee Haris Vuckic put them ahead with 12 minutes remaining. There would not, however, be the delicious irony of one of Mike Ashley’s men allowing King and Co a victory to savour in their first home match since seizing control. All the failings that have left the Ibrox side in the midst of a Championship play-off scrap they may well not win came to the fore as 17-year-old Aidan Smith – making just his second senior appearance - equalised for Queens eight minutes later. In truth, it was a point they more than merited. Jeers rang out at the final whistle as supporters who flocked back to Ibrox to financially support the new board digested yet another on-field setback. The grim sequence of results now reads as just one win in their last seven outings. For King and his associates, the question of what can be done to lift a desperately flagging season remains highly pertinent. Discussions with caretaker manager Kenny McDowall will have to determine whether he continues or whether an alternative interim appointment is made for the remainder of the campaign. This was not the first time this season that Queens had found themselves featuring in a significant day in the Rangers saga. Back on December 12, their comprehensive 2-0 victory at Palmerston Park became almost an addendum to news that Ally McCoist had handed in his notice. For the visiting support inside the Dumfries ground, it was yet another bewildering development to try and digest. Rangers legend John Greig was in the stands at Ibrox for Tuesday night's Scottish Championship clash . Events tumbled even quicker from then, through McCoist’s gardening leave, an AGM, crisis loan offers and boardroom resignations, finally reaching the regime change arrived at with last Friday’s EGM. Somewhere in the middle of the jumble was the SFA’s refusal, on Christmas Eve of all days, to allow Ashley to increase his shareholding. It was one of several, crucial turning points on the exceptionally winding road towards a fresh start for a club bruised and battered over the previous four years. The desperation of supporters to grasp this moment, for those who stayed away to return to supporting their team, was palpable. Some had purchased half-season tickets in the wake of the EGM, despite some of the included matches having already passed. Last night, routes around Ibrox were congested in fashion often unfamiliar this season. The stadium wasn’t full, but the 35,018 here was still the highest crowd recorded since the opening day of the season. Anyone purchasing a programme on their way in was greeted by a cover showing King with his arms around John Gilligan and Paul Murray, happily posing within the trophy room. Enthusiasm was everywhere. The question, of course, was how long it would last when confronted by the paucity of the Rangers team. Given the boos that rang out at half-time, the answer could be given as approximately 45 minutes. Fresh from a dispiriting 0-0 draw with Cowdenbeath at the weekend, McDowall’s side had actually made a pretty positive start – as if feeding off the renewed energy. Nicky Law picked out Nicky Clark with a nice cutback and the striker drilled narrowly wide from the edge of the area. Not long after, Clark was unable to generate sufficient power or direction in a header. Yet their best chance of the opening period fell to the other front man in McDowall’s 4-4-2. It was woefully spurned. Vuckic fashioned the opportunity by cutting in field to hit a deflected drive that was pushed out by Zander Clark in the Queens goal. Daly looked odds-on to polish things off but spooned the rebound over the bar on the slide. Vuckic celebrates hos goal with substitute Bilel Mohsni (left), Nicky Clark and Darren McGregor . Queens had shown a nice degree of composure in midfield and steadily began to assert themselves. Slowly but surely, the atmosphere changed. When Law was robbed on the fringe of the area by Kevin Holt after 34 minutes, the first real roar of frustration arrived. By that point, the visitors could already have been ahead. Lee McCulloch missed a defensive header to allow Gavin Reilly in behind him. He picked out Michael Paton, whose neatly-struck effort beat Lee Robinson but rebounded off the goalkeeper’s right-hand post. Ibrox heaved a sigh of relief. But it was not the last first-half scare. When Robinson was forced into evasive action to deny a fine Iain Russell strike, the loose ball spun towards Reilly. He couldn’t adjust his body quickly enough to head below the bar from around six yards out. Daly looped one wide from a Lee Wallace cross after the restart but that wasn’t the signal for a Rangers bombardment. A change was needed if a resolute and sparky Queens side weren’t going to spoil the party. One finally arrived from McDowall in the 65th minute when young Andy Murdoch was replaced by the even younger Tom Walsh. The 18-year-old at least injected a little more pace and energy to proceedings. It seemed as though Rangers had finally sneaked a winner after 78 minutes. Vuckic got a touch to a ball delivered from the left before Clark practically stumbled into it. It broke back to the Newcastle loanee who calmly angled a shot into the far corner of the net. This is, however, a team riven with weaknesses. And they were exposed yet again when Queens claimed a leveller they deserved with just four minutes to play. Bilel Mohsni – just on four minutes earlier after Lee Wallace was hurt – was typically wayward with a bungled attempt at a clearance that looped to Daniel Carmichael. He delivered into the middle, where Robinson expertly saved from Paton. There was, though, to be no denying teenager Smith, who was left with a simple finish into an exposed net.
Haris Vuckic put Rangers ahead against Queen of the South on Tuesday . Queen of the South striker Aidan Smith scored late equaliser . Rangers legend John Greig was at Ibrox for the Championship fixture .