Scottish Premier League/Dundee 0 Rangers 2: Rangers left it late at Dens Park, but goals from Marvin Andrews and Fernando Ricksen made sure Dundee were defeated on what could prove a telling afternoon in the race for the Premier League crown.
Jim Duffy's side, fighting for survival at the bottom of the table, held out for 82 minutes until Andrews provided an unstoppable header from Ricksen's corner.
Ricksen then made sure with a simple finish two minutes later.
The result means Rangers are four points and six goals ahead of champions Celtic, who have two games in hand - starting at Inverness on Wednesday - and a grandstand finish to the campaign remains highly likely.
After Celtic's 6-0 hammering of Dunfermline which ate into Rangers' goal-difference advantage, the pressure was on to produce a commanding reply.
But that was certainly not the case in the first 45 minutes, with bookings outnumbering chances created.
It took the visitors 15 minutes to muster a shot, which Ricksen fired wide, and home goalkeeper Derek Soutar's most active first-half moment was to gather ahead of former Dens favourite Nacho Novo and end a dangerous-looking run.
The return of Dado Prso from suspension to replace Steven Thompson up front was expected for Rangers, but more intriguing was the decision to drop Thomas Buffel to the bench and reinstate Bob Malcolm.
Defeat left Dundee still two points ahead of bottom club Dundee United.
On Saturday, Celtic seemed lethargic after John Hartson had given them a first-half lead but after the break both the Welsh striker and Stilian Petrov helped themselves to doubles and man of the match Aiden McGeady and Craig Beattie also weighed in.
DUNDEE: Soutar; Mann, Wilkie, Kitamirike, McDonald, Smith, Barrett (Sutton 86), Brady, Caballero, Lovell (Conway 90), McManus (Robertson 74). Subs Not Used: Dubourdeau, Sancho, Cerdeira.
RANGERS: Waterreus; Ross, Andrews (Thompson 89), Kyrgiakos, Ball, Ricksen, Ferguson, Malcolm (Buffel 60), Vignal, Novo (McCormack 90), Prso. Subs Not Used: Graeme Smith, Alex Rae, Burke, Namouchi. Booked: Prso, Kyrgiakos. Goals: Andrews 82, Ricksen 84.
Referee: I Brines (Sco).
