Fittingly on a day when the Light Blue legions celebrated the club's 'Ulster Connection' it was Ulsterman Steve Davis who made the breakthrough against Motherwell with the opening goal in 56 minutes - and just for good measure was voted 'Man of the Match' by the Ibrox spectators.
The Stadium was a colourful sight with a host of 'Red Hand of Ulster' flags waving in the breeze and a huge banner depicting the many legendary figures from Northern Ireland who have worn the Light Blue - Bert Manderson, Willie McCandless, Sam English, Billy Simpson, John McClelland and many, many others.
For the job in hand today, Manager Walter Smith made three changes from last weekend with Neil Alexander, Christian Dailly and Kevin Thomson replacing the dropped Allan McGregor, the suspended Sasa Papac, and Maurice Edu against a 'Well side containing three former Rangers players - namely goalkeeper Graeme Smith, Stephen Hughes and Bob Malcolm.
"THE FAMINE'S OVER" rang around the stadium, underlining that the 'Gers fans have more courage than the spineless club officials who have yet again capitulated to their enemies during the past week.
The game took some time to come to life, but boiled over in 22 minutes when Paul Quinn was yellow-carded in 22 minutes for a late and vicious foul on Pedro Mendes. It could easily have been red, and an incensed Walter Smith appeared on the touchline to have words with the referee.
The official was losing the plot - illustrated three minutes later when Stephen Craigan hauled down Kenny Miller as he homed in on goal. Again Referee Eddie Smith - brother-in-law of the late Phil O'Donnell - contented himself with a booking, and handed out identical punishment to David Weir who protested over the official's leniency towards the 'Well defenders.
It was all Rangers - and twice in seven minutes just after the half-hour mark Miller twice came close to opening the scoring - firstly when his eighteen-yard shot on the turn from a Mendes pass was touched wide by Graeme Smith, then, after playing a one-two with Kris Boyd, his shot was just wide.
The Light Blues ended the half on top but without achieving a breakthrough - Boyd's 44th minute header from Dailly's cross drifting inches wide.
The visitors made their first incursion into the Ibrox defence in fifty minutes when David Clarkson broke through only to be blocked by Alexander.
Two minutes later Miller's penetrating run ended with a pass to DaMarcus Beasley whose shot was parried by Graeme Smith.
The deadlock was finally broken in 56 minutes when Davis coolly netted after being released through the middle by a slide-rule Miller pass from a Boyd flick.
Six minutes later Eddie Smith again made a spectacle of himself when he yellow-carded Boyd for alleged simulation after the striker, homing in on a Miller pass, collided with a defender.
The Fir Park men were far from out of it - Clarkson seeing an eighteen-yard shot from a Keith Lasley pass touched wide by Alexander in 68 minutes.
Three minutes later Nacho Novo replaced the ineffectual Beasley - and the Spaniard made it 2-0 in 75 minutes when he bundled the ball home from close range after Davis had released Miller down the right, his cutback from the goal-line being pushed out by Graeme Smith.
'Well were still fighting hard however - Chris Porter scooping the ball against an upright from point-blank range in 81 minutes.
Rangers still looked the likelier however - sixty seconds later Boyd's header from a Mendes cross was held by the 'keeper. It should have been 3-0 in 84 minutes when Boyd's crossfield pass found Miller who, with the goal at his mercy, shot well wide.
Two minutes later the lead was halved when Clarkson netted from a Chris Porter cross.
Rangers played time out comfortably however, content with their narrow lead.
RANGERS Alexander; Dailly, Weir, Bougherra, Broadfoot; Davis, Mendes, Thomson, Beasley (Novo 71); Boyd, Miller
UNUSED SUBS Darcheville, McGregor, Edu, Aaron, McMillan, Fleck
MOTHERWELL G. Smith; Quinn, Craigan, Reynolds, Hammell; Clarkson, Malcolm, Hughes (D. Smith 62), Lasley; Porter, Sutton (Murphy 53)
UNUSED SUBS Nielsen, Fitzpatrick, O'Brien, McGarry, Connolly
REFEREE Eddie Smith