Attendance 6,120
Rangers are through to the quarter-finals of the Co-operative Insurance Cup following tonight's 2-1 win over Queen of the South at Palmerston Park, Dumfries - but it was, by some way, too close for comfort for the SPL side who can arguably consider themselves fortunate to remain in the competition.
The Ibrox men last visited this southern outpost in 1983 - in a League Cup tie won for 4-1 for an 8-1 aggregate score - the game recording the first competitive goal for a certain Alistair McCoist. More fondly remembered in these parts however is the 1975 quarter-final tie when the 'Doonhammers' defeated Rangers 2-1 over ninety minutes before an Alex MacDonald goal in extra-time saw the Light Blues through. On both of those occasions, incidentally, Rangers went on to secure the trophy.
Manager Walter Smith fielded a surprisingly strong line-up, making four changes from Kilmarnock with Neil Alexander, Madjid Bougherra, Kevin Thomson and Jerome Rothen replacing Allan McGregor, Lee McCulloch, John Fleck and Nacho Novo.
The visitors were first to threaten in eleven minutes when Steven Whittaker's header from a Rothen corner flashed over
The opening goal was merely delayed four minutes however - Pedro Mendes releasing Kris Boyd down the right, his cutback being slotted home by Steven Naismith.
There was a moment of controversy in 25 minutes when Boyd was yellow-carded for alleged simulation after rounding home goalkeeper Ludovic Roy. The centre immediately held up his hands in apology.
Queens threatened on the half-hour mark when David Weatherston broke away, his cross finding Derek Holmes who shot wide.
Four minutes later Rangers had a strong penalty claim denied when Boyd appeared to be pushed in the back by David Lilley as he met a Bougherra cross. Perhaps this was payback for the earlier incident...
The First Division side were certainly posing a threat to an Ibrox defence that appeared uncertain at times - Holmes heading over from a Steve Tosh cross in 36 minutes.
Two minutes later Paul Burns volleyed over from a Holmes knock-down as Rangers appeared to have taken their foot off the accelerator following their early goal.
The Ibrox defence was split asunder in 41 minutes when in a swift counter-attack Tosh released Weatherston through on goal only for his chip over the advancing Alexander to drift wide of the target.
The Dumfries side continued their pressure after the restart - Weatherston seeing his shot blocked by the advancing Alexander from a Barry Wilson pass two minutes in.
The visitors at last finally got their act together in 55 minutes when Thomson's 25-yard lob from a Whittaker pass was turned over by Roy.
Three minutes later Sasa Papac headed wide from a Rothen cross - but the underdogs were far from out of it, substitute Rocco Quinn heading over from a Wilson cross in 65 minutes.
Roy kept his side in the tie however with two saves in as many minutes - firstly when he touched over Bougherra's header from a Rothen free-kick, then holding Boyd's header from a Whittaker cross.
The save of the night however occurred at the other end in 73 minutes when Holmes' overhead kick following a Harris free-kick produced a superb one-handed stop from Alexander.
Nacho Novo replaced Rothen sixty seconds later - and the little Spaniard surely made the game safe within five minutes when he beat the offside trap, going through on a Davis pass to bury the ball behind Roy.
Steven Naismith might have added a third goal in 85 minutes when his header from a Thomson cross was held by Roy.
The home side finally got the goal they undoubtedly deserved in the final minute when Bob Harris curled a twenty-yarder into the top corner of the net.
Suddenly - with four minutes injury time - the 'Doonhammers' sensed blood, and they might even have forced extra-time when Quinn's drive from a Holmes knock-down was blocked by David Weir.
Afterwards a relieved Walter Smith looked back:
"We started well, but slackness crept into our play. Queen of the South played well - we should give our opponents credit for the way they set out their stall, they started the second-half particularly well. We're in good shape for the visit of Aberdeen on Saturday."
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH Roy; Reid, Harris; McKenna, Lilley, McAusland; Burns, Tosh (Quinn 63), Holmes, Weatherston (McLaughlan 82), Wilson (McQuilken 71)
UNUSED SUBS Thomson, Hutton
RANGERS Alexander; Whittaker, Bougherra, Weir, Papac; Davis, Mendes, Thomson, Rothen (Novo 74); Boyd (McCulloch 86), Naismith
UNUSED SUBS McGregor, Miller, Smith
REFEREE Willie Collum