Kilmarnock 0 Rangers 0:Walter Smith was sent to the stand and Rangers and Kilmarnock were both reduced to 10 men as they battled out an explosive goalless draw in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

Pedro Mendes was dismissed shortly before half-time — the third Rangers player to see red this season after Kevin Thomson and Madjid Bougherra — and Smith’s complaints earned him a seat in the Rugby Park stand.

Manuel Pascali then followed Mendes down the tunnel late in the game, with neither side able to find the goal that would seal the three points.

Mirroring last week’s early kick-off at Motherwell, Rangers appeared lackluster once again and it was Kilmarnock who carved out the first chance of the game when Craig Bryson picked out the towering figure of Conor Sammon in front of goal.

He tried his luck with a downward header from close range but the striker was foiled in his efforts to claim the opener by goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who comfortably smothered in the Rangers goal.

Mendes then picked up a harsh yellow card — which would prove costly later on — for clipping the heels of Bryson but Killie failed to capitalise on the resultant free-kick when McGregor came out to gather a curving shot from Tim Clancy.

The game erupted two minutes from the interval when Mendes picked up a second yellow card for another foul on Bryson. The red card prompted a furious response from boss Smith, who exchanged angry words with Sammon and was then sent to the stand by referee Steve Conroy as he continued to remonstrate in the dug-out.

After the restart, Danny Invincibile passed up a great chance to open the scoring when his close-range header was blocked by McGregor, before hooking the rebound over the crossbar when he looked certain to leave the net bulging instead.

Kris Boyd had boasted an excellent record of 13 goals in 12 games against his former club but this clearly was not going to be his day.

With nine minutes to go, Kilmarnock were also reduced to 10 men when Pascali picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Steven Davis.

Both sides were still searching for the goal which would now almost certainly decide the game and McGregor did well to parry a close-range volley from Sammon. But the match ended devoid of goals but not without incident, with seven cautions plus the two dismissals.