Attendance 16,284
Rangers drew on enormous reserves of character and resolve to come from behind to defeat Hearts 2-1 at Tynecastle this afternoon despite playing fully 77 minutes with ten men following the ordering-off of Kevin Thomson.
It was a memorable and meritorious win at a venue that amongst is the most difficult to secure any kind of result.
Manager Walter Smith made two changes from last weekend with Sasa Papac and Thomson replacing Steven Smith and Kris Boyd - opting to play 4-5-1 on a dreich day of incessant rain in Edinburgh.
The game threatened to boil over as early as the third minute when Suso Santana committed a shocking foul on Kenny Miller who reacted, both players receiving yellow cards.
Referee Craig Thomson soon imposed his authority by producing a straight red for a late Thomson challenge on Ian Black in thirteen minutes, leaving the Ibrox men right up against it for the vast majority of the game.
Ten minutes later the home side almost snatched the lead in another controversial incident when Suso Santana's shot hit the post after the ball appeared to go out of play.
The opening goal duly arrived on the half-hour mark when David Witteveen found the net following a one-two with David Obua, Allan McGregor being at fault in failing to hold the ball.
There was more than a suggestion of offside - but linesman Martin Cryans, who had previous as far as Rangers are concerned in these matters, waved away the protests.
The visitors were up against it - but survived without further loss until the interval, allowing Walter Smith to introduce his namesake Steven Smith for John Fleck. it was a substitution that would change the entire course of the game.
Three minutes after the restart McGregor went some way to redeeming himself when he spectacularly tipped over an angled drive from Jose Goncalves following a Santana corner.
David Weir was inches away from equalising in fifty minutes when his header from a Steve Davis free-kick was just wide of the target.
Rangers were now operating a 4-3-2 formation with Steven Naismith joining Miller in attack - and three minutes later the former Kilmarnock striker headed over from Smith's cross.
At the other end Hearts substitute Gary Glen tested McGregor on the hour when he cut in from the left only to see his eighteen-yard shot held by the 'keeper.
Two minutes later the scores were level when Lee McCulloch headed home from a Smith free-kick.
Rangers were now on top despite their numerical disadvantage - with one key difference being the drive of Smith as he motored down the left, not to mention his dead-ball expertise, one further example being his thirty-yard free-kick in 78 minutes that was held by home goalkeeper Janos Balogh.
McCulloch came close to adding a second in 82 minutes when he shot over from a Miller cutback.
Hearts were still threatening however - Santana's snap-shot from the edge of the box four minutes later being parried by McGregor.
Boyd replaced Miller in 88 minutes - and if any were wondering why the centre was coming on at such a late stage the answer was provided within sixty seconds when he netted from the penalty spot after Ismael Bouzid had upended Naismith.
The Tynecastle men tried to respond immediately - Glen's header from a Santana free-kick flashing over - but Rangers survived an incredible FIVE minutes injury time to secure a notable, and vital, win.
Afterwards a delighted Walter Smith summed up:
"We're delighted with the win. We didn't start well - but settled in the second-half when we were the better side. Tynecastle is always a difficult ground to win at. I felt the ordering-off was harsh - it may have been due to the referee's angle."
HEARTS Balogh; Jonsson, Goncalves, Bouzid, Wallace; Santana, Palazuelos, Black, Obua; Nade (Glen 30), Witteveen (Elliot 61 [Novikovas 69])
UNUSED SUBS Kello, Kucharski, Stewart, Thomson
RANGERS McGregor; Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Papac; Fleck (Smith 45), McCulloch, Davis, Thomson, Naismith; Miller (Boyd 88)
UNUSED SUBS Alexander, Aaron, Beasley, Little, Wilson
REFEREE Craig Thomson