There were few incidents to enthrall the crowd and even the constant encouragement of coach, Ally McCoist, failed to inspire the Ibrox side to produce anything other than very ordinary football.
The only goal of the game came in the fourth minute. Charlie Adam swung in a cross from the left flank, Chris Smith came off his line and only succeeded in clattering into Kirk Broadfoot while the ball spun to Nacho Novo, who calmly rifled it past John Potter on the line.
Allan McGregor had to produce a save of top quality five minutes later, swooping low to his left to turn away an Ian Maxwell header from Richard Brittain's free-kick.
Kris Boyd blazed the ball yards over the bar after Broadfoot had miscued a headed clearance from an Ugo Ehiogu punt and then shot tamely at Smith after Adam had sent him clear.
Garry Brady, David van Zanten and Broadfoot had chances to equalise near the break but none was on target.
Broadfoot did his best to lift Saints in the second half and a mazy run ended with a pass to Stewart Kean whose drive whistled past McGregor's post. Boyd had a 'goal' chalked off for offside and Dado Prso squandered an opportunity after rounding Smith.
Billy Mehmet shot over for Saints but the home side never really looked like breaching the inelegant but effective wall put up by Ehiogu and David Weir.