Attendance 47,474
Rangers came from behind to defeat St. Mirren 3-1 at Ibrox Stadium this afternoon to remain on course in the Championship race, two goals from Lee McCulloch turning the match in the home side's favour.
Manager Walter Smith made two changes from last Sunday with Danny Wilson and DaMarcus Beasley replacing Madjid Bougherra and Kyle Lafferty against a team that Rangers have already played four times this season - and after today will meet again in two weeks time on League Cup Final Day.
It took the game some time to warm up - but Steve Davis came close to opening the scoring in 22 minutes with a 25-yard free-kick that came back off the crossbar.
The woodwork again denied the Ibrox men sixty seconds later when the Ulster midfielder found Sasa Papac with a slide-rule pass only for his shot to strike an upright.
The deadlock was broken on the half-hour mark - at the other end - when Graham Carey stunned Ibrox with a thundering 25-yard free-kick that left Allan McGregor helpless.
It took Rangers a mere two minutes to level matters - McCulloch's deflected shot following a Kevin Thomson free-kick finding the net.
The Champions now began to assert themselves - Davis seeing his drive beaten out by visiting goalkeeper Paul Gallacher in 34 minutes following a penetrating run from Steven Whittaker.
With the interval fast approaching Rangers went all out for the lead - David Weir seeing his header from a Davis corner blocked on the line, then Wilson's volley from a McCulloch knockdown came back off Gallacher.
It took just sixty seconds after the restart however for the Light Blues to take the lead when McCulloch netted with a low drive from Kenny Miller's lay-off.
The woodwork again came to the Paisley side's rescue in fifty minutes when Beasley's header from a Thomson free-kick came back off the post.
Eight minutes later - as the home side sought to seal the win - Weir's volley from a Davis corner was held by Gallacher.
In a double substitution Nacho Novo and Maurice Edu replaced Beasley and Thomson on 63 minutes.
Novo it was who secured the three points for his team fourteen minutes later when he swept the ball home from a Davis free-kick.
Steven Naismith replaced Miller immediately afterwards - but the game was won.
Later Walter Smith reflected:
"It was always going to be a difficult game for us after last week's 'Old Firm' match and with players being away on International duty this week. We may lack a number of things, but resilience certainly is not one of them."
RANGERS McGregor; Whittaker, Weir, Wilson, Papac; Davis. McCulloch, Thomson (Edu 63), Beasley (Novo 63); Boyd, Miller (Naismith 77)
UNUSED SUBS Alexander, Broadfoot, Fleck, Little
ST. MIRREN Gallacher; Barron, Mair, Potter, Innes (O'Donnell 50), Carey; Thomson, Brady, Dorman; Mehmet, Higdon (Dargo 70)
UNUSED SUBS Faulds, Howard, McLennan, Johnston
REFEREE Charlie Richmond