The top two shared the spoils at Petershill Park as Glasgow City and Rangers drew one apiece.
Lauren Davidson has given City the lead from the spot after 52 minutes, but a 70th minute spot kick from Tessel Middag pegged them back.
Head coach Eileen Gleeson made two changes from last week's defeat to Hibs, bringing in both Emily Whelan and Claire Walsh to her starting XI.
It was the away team who had the first chance of the game when a ball from Jenny Danielsson gave Brogan Hay a golden opportunity, but Lee Gibson saved excellently.
Mairead Fulton's long range drive shortly afterwards though would see Esson in the Rangers goal scrambling.
It was Lauren Davidson's turn to go close next when the forward's interplay with Priscila Chinchilla saw her drive a shot just over Esson's crossbar.
A slack ball shortly afterwards would hand former City midfielder Sam Kerr a free shot on goal, but Gibson would gather easily.
Neat play between Daniellson and Nolf would then hand Kayla McCoy a good opportunity, but the ball would flash across the City area.
Good play from Hay on 35 minutes would see her cross for Kerr, but her goalbound shot was well blocked by Claire Walsh.
Tessel Middag would be the next to go close when she met Hay's cross in the box, but yet again the City defence would get in the way.
The second half began in explosive fashion though when Whelan was tripped in the area when chasing down a lost cause - and the referee didn't hesitate in pointing to the spot.
Davidson would make no mistake from 12-yards to break the deadlock.
City would be dealt a blow just after the goal though when Chinchilla was taken with injury.
Rangers would handed a penalty of their own with 20 minutes to play and, just like Davidson before her, Middag would slot home calmly.
Gibson would pull off an astonishing save with 15 minutes to play, tipping Lisa Martinez's header over the bar, however, it would later be ruled offside.
Fulton would almost grab a spectacular as the clock ticked down when her speculative effort almost lobbed Esson.
Rangers thought they had won it in the dying stages when a pin point free kick from Middag was connected to by Martinez and cannoned off the City bar.
And they'd go even closer in injury when Kirsty Howat cross flashed across the face of goal and needed only a touch.
In the end the top two could not be separated as both sides were forced to settle for a draw.
City: Gibson, Muir, Lauder (c) (Prades 45), Walsh, Fulton, Whelan, Clark, Davidson, Kozak, Chinchilla (Martin 60), Foley.
Rangers: Esson, McLauchlan, Davison, Middag, Hay (Arnot 74), McCoy (Howat 86), Cornet (c), Danielsson (Watson 84), Martinez, Kerr, Nolf.