James Tavernier snatches last gasp penalty as 10-man Rangers scrape Dundee draw
However, it was a step backwards against Steven Pressley's side, who took the lead in the 51st minute through a Ryan Astley header.
There was more Gers woe when defender Nasser Djiga was sent off but as the game moved into added time Gers captain Tavernier, a second-half substitute, levelled from the spot, after Drey Wright fouled Djeidi Gassama inside the box.
Gers striker Cyriel Dessers had the ball in the net in the seventh minute of added time only to be ruled offside, leaving the home side with two points from six.
Rangers will now prepare for the second leg of their Champions League qualifier in the Czech Republic on Tuesday night with less confidence than they had before they took on Dundee and knowing their poor start to the title race could be costly.
Martin made the bold decision to drop Tavernier and midfielder Nicolas Raskin for the game against Plzen and again they started on the bench for the unchanged Light Blues.
Striker Joe Westley, signed from Burnley on Tuesday, made his debut for Dundee while captain Simon Murray was out with a knee problem.
The game took some time to liven up and it was 15 minutes before Gassama found some space for the first time, racing onto a pass from Jefte before trying to find Dessers with his cut back inside the box but the Gers striker was quickly crowded out.
Midfielder Joe Rothwell fired wide from 25 yards moments later but at last the match was showing some signs of life.
Dundee's defending was diligent but they almost stole into the lead on the half hour following a corner, when Luke Graham found Clark Robertson with a cross and his header crashed off the post before Gers keeper Jack Butland gathered the ball.
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The home side looked nervy when asked to defend and Robertson again glanced a header off a post but the offside flag was up, as were the anxiety levels among the home fans.
Gassama's trickery inside the box early in the second half allowed him to set up midfielder Mohamed Diomande but his shot was saved by Dundee keeper Jon McCracken.
Two minutes later, after Diomande conceded a foul 30 yards out, Callum Jones floated a free-kick into the Rangers box, Robertson got first contact and Astley looped a header over Butland, a VAR check confirming the goal.
To loud boos, Martin replaced Lyall Cameron and Diomande with Nicolas Raskin and Kieran Dowell and soon afterwards Djiga was sent packing by referee Don Robertson for denying Finlay Robertson a clear and obvious goalscoring opportunity by taking him out as he raced through towards the Gers goal.
Tavernier and Danilo came on for Rothwell and Max Aarons as Martin tried another route but there was little real danger of note until the 90th minute when Wright tangled legs with Gassama inside the box.
Tavernier sent McCracken the wrong way to set up a tense finish and there was more drama when Dessers drove into the net, only for VAR to rule offside.
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