Rangers went to the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League on Tuesday thanks to a 2-0 win over St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.
Goals in each half from Kyle Lafferty and Steven Naismith saw the Gers bounce back from their weekend reverse against Dundee United and took them one point clear of Celtic, who take on Hibernian in Glasgow on Wednesday.
Rangers teenager Gregg Wylde escaped censure early on when it appeared he had tripped Danny Grainger in the visitors’ box, with the St Johnstone man staying on his feet and perhaps costing his side the penalty.
He was left to regret it when his dreadful mistake allowed Lafferty to give the Gers the lead on 19 minutes. The full back headed a backpass far too short for goalkeeper Peter Enckelman and Lafferty stole in to show composure and slot the ball to the back of the net.
Allan McGregor tipped a Murray Davidson behind as the hosts looked for an equaliser, while David Weir headed against the post for Rangers from Wylde's cross.
There would be no addition to the score before the break though, and the sides rarely looked like adding to it upon the restart as Nikica Jelavic miss-kicked an effort wide and McGregor made a great stop from Kevin Moon, who it transpired was offside in any case.
McGregor then held a Jordan Robertson header before the St Johnstone challenge was killed off. Naisimith twice won the ball in the air before running onto Jelavic’s flicked past and firing low beyond Enckelman.
Jelavic then rattled the crossbar in the time that remained, but the two goals were enough for Walter Smith’s men.