Rangers' stuttering title challenge made it over another hurdle at Ibrox last night - but the manner of their victory indicates the title race is anything but dead.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst's 38th minute opener should have signalled a second-half wipe-out as top entertained bottom, but rarely have Rangers looked less convincing. After two successive defeats they had lived on their nerves before van Bronckhorst took a pass from Andrei Kanchelskis, cut across the box and drove the ball home from 20 yards. But, despite enjoying a huge amount of possession, they couldn't secure a second goal.
Dunfermline had plenty of chances before they eventually fell behind. David Graham was unlucky to see Stefan Klos twice scramble across his goal to claw away a shot and a header. The Dunfermline midfielder then wasted the best opportunity when he turned Colin Hendry inside the Rangers area but then dragged his shot wide from a central position.
Within 60 seconds, van Bronckhorst had put Rangers in front, his clinical finish reminding the home fans that theirs was the side which cost millions.
Dunfermline refused to be negative, playing competent football and breaking quickly when they could. Rod Wallace tried to drop deep to find space but the ball never came his way. There was acres of space for Kanchelskis and Neil McCann to attack down the flanks, but Rangers did not exploit it.
The removal of an ineffective Stephane Guivarc'h in favour of Jonathan Johansson gave the home supporters something to applaud during a drab second period in which the home side failed to create a clearcut chance.
Rangers: Klos, Porrini, Amoruso, Vidmar, Hendry, Kanchelskis, Van Bronckhorst, Albertz, Guivarc'h (Johansson 75), Wallace, McCann. Subs Not Used: Amato, McInnes, Wilson, Brown. Booked: Amoruso, Wallace. Goals: Van Bronckhorst 37.
Dunfermline: Butler, Shields, Coyle, Tod, Millar, Huxford, Petrie, Thomson, Graham, Dair, Dolan. Subs Not Used: Westwater, Smith, Squires, Fraser, Martin. Booked: Huxford.
Refereee: W Young (Clarkston).
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