By Ronnie Esplin, PA Russell Martin was handed some much-needed respite as Rangers fought out a goalless draw against Celtic at Ibrox. The Gers boss was under mounting pressure after a 6-0 defeat by Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off on Wednesday night which saw them exit 9-1 aggregate. The ramifications of defeat against their oldest rivals could have been dire for Martin but his side were worth a point in a dreadful encounter, albeit they remain six points behind the Parkhead outfit after four William Hill Premiership fixtures. In the 32nd minute of a first half low on quality but high on adrenaline, Gers defender John Souttar had the ball in the net only to be ruled offside. The second half was much of the same with few clear-cut chances or goalmouth incidents, with even the energy and passion failing to mask the poor fare served up for the lunchtime kick-off. There was little improvement at the start of the second half, with Rangers still playing more direct football than previously this season. In the 53rd minute Gers winger Djeidi Gassama left Parkhead defender Kieran Tierney trailing the right flank but his cross was snuffed out, ending in the hands of Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. Gers keeper Jack Butland made his first real save on the hour mark and it was a comfortable one from Reo Hatate’s long-distance drive before he kept out an overhead kick from Tierney. But the match ended goalless, with neither side deserving the win. For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.