Rangers won a hard-fought game at Motherwell but the hosts can count themselves unlucky not to take a point from a tight match.
The game started brightly with both sides creating early chances. However, David Partridge's shot for the Steelmen and Dado Prso's header for the Gers failed to trouble the keepers.
However, the Croat was on target in the sixth minute when he burst through from midfield leaving a trail of Well players in his wake before dinking the ball over the advancing Gordon Marshall.
Motherwell hit back well and could consider themselves unlucky not to be back on level terms before the break, with Stefan Klos being called upon to produce two wonderful saves to maintain the Gers' lead.
In the 19th minute Scott McDonald skipped past Marvin Andrews on the left before cutting inside and firing a ferocious effort towards goal, but somehow Klos spread himself to beat the ball to safety.
Thirteen minutes later the German once again had to be on his toes to deny David Clarkson who had latched on to a long ball.
All Rangers could muster in the first half were a couple of weak free-kicks from Fernando Ricksen and Robert Malcolm, although Nacho Novo almost stole in to score in first-half stoppage time. However the Rangers striker was denied by Marshall.
The Gers almost extended their lead just four minutes in to the second half but Prso could only prod Novo's cross the wrong side of the near post.
In the 55th minute Well had a good shout for a penalty turned down when Andrews clumsily clambered all over the back of Phil O'Donnell.
Even though the Steelmen had most of the early second-half pressure and possession, Marshall had to be on hand to save well from Ricksen and Prso.
At the other end Klos was once again called into the action to save Scott Leitch's 20-yard strike.
Rangers sealed the victory with eight minutes left when Novo out-paced Steven Hammell in midfield before feeding the ball through to Prso who drilled a low shot under Marshall.
Rangers were able to grind out another result to keep on the coat-tails of Celtic, but the performance was much less convincing than the final scoreline.