Kenny Miller missed Rangers' best chance in the first half
Rangers slipped four points behind SPL leaders Celtic after a frustrating draw at Fir Park.
Motherwell goalkeeper Graeme Smith made several important saves as the visitors enjoyed the bulk of first half chances.
Allan McGregor made two excellent stops for Rangers after the break with Chris Porter and Stephen Hughes threatening for the home side.
Kris Boyd fired home on 70 minutes but was flagged offside and the striker missed a late chance to seal victory.
Motherwell approached the match looking to recover from their weekend defeat to Celtic while Rangers arrived at Fir Park off the back of a 4-0 away win over Kilmarnock.
Smith set the tone for the match in the early stages with comfortable saves from Kyle Lafferty and Boyd.
At the other end, a sweeping move down the left ended with Keith Lasley's shot being blocked by McGregor who then scrambled away the rebound.
Kenny Miller had an excellent chance to give Rangers the lead in the 28th minute after being put through on goal by strike partner Boyd.
However, Miller took too long to get his shot in and, after the ball was hacked away, Lafferty's shot was deflected wide.
Boyd then chased Pedro Mendes' lofted pass but could not bring it under control before Smith claimed.
Chris Porter (left) challenges Madjid Bougherra for a header
Rangers captain Barry Ferguson, who was making his first start of the season, came close to scoring eight minutes before half-time.
Motherwell failed to clear Miller's low cross and Ferguson slid in with a left-foot shot, which Smith blocked with his foot.
Smith was called upon to save from Miller twice in quick succession as Motherwell struggled to cope with the ball in behind.
Stephen Hammell tested McGregor with a free-kick effort early in the second half, the keeper smothering at his near post.
Moments later, Boyd was inches away from connecting with Steven Davis' teasing cross.
Chris Porter came close in the 55th minute when his shot from inside the box was tipped over by McGregor.
Rangers went back on the offensive and Lafferty and then Mendes drew saves from Smith with strikes from distance.
Boyd had the ball in the net with 20 minutes remaining but was flagged offside after racing beyond the Motherwell backline too early.
Stephen Hughes sent in a curling shot with 11 minutes remaining and McGregor was at full stretch as he pushed the ball over the bar.
Sasa Papac was stretchered off after a collision with Rangers team-mate Kirk Broadfoot, Steven Whittaker coming on for the Bosnian.
In a final push towards the Motherwell goal, Bougherra's run and cross found Boyd but the striker fired wide at the back post.
Motherwell claimed for a penalty in injury time after John Sutton was challenged by Broadfoot in the box but referee Steve Conroy waved play on before ending the match.
Motherwell manager Mark McGhee: "It's the best clean sheet we'll have this season because I think we were playing against a team are on form goal-scoring wise.
"To stop Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd from scoring is an achievement in itself.
"I think both goalkeepers played very well tonight and both kept their teams in the game.
"If we perform like that with that sort of attitude, determination and ambition then there won't be many teams who will stay with us in the SPL."
Rangers manager Walter Smith: "It was a good game. It was certainly not a boring 0-0 draw.
"I felt we created the bulk of the opportunities in the game and contrived to miss them. If we had got ourselves in front from any one of the four or five chances we had in the first half, then we may have gone on to win the game.
"At the end of the day we're disappointed that, after the creation of those opportunities, that we didn't get a win.
"I would debate the disallowed goal. If you look and see, Kris Boyd was onside."
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