But after the goal it was all Rangers with Aberdeen’s resilient defence withstanding an onslaught, particularly in the second-half.
As always this game was full of drama with Gers denied a stonewall penalty in the first-half and Dons midfielder Mark Kerr seeing red midway through the second period.
Walter Smith made two changes to the team which lost to Stuttgart in midweek with Kevin Thomson and Kenny Miller both dropped.
That created space for Steven Naismith to return from injury and he teamed up with Lee McCulloch in central midfield for the kick-off.
John Fleck was the other new face in the side and he started on the left side of the park with Kyle Lafferty joining Kris Boyd in attack.
The gaffer kept the same defence that took part in the Champions League four days ago which meant Madjid Bougherra joined Neil Alexander, Nacho Novo, Steven Smith, Andrew Little, Miller and Thomson on the bench.
Danny Wilson retained his spot at the heart of the back line alongside captain David Weir and the 17-year-old was impressive once again.
Rangers arrived in the Granite City looking to improve on a poor recent record there.
They’ had won just once in their last eight visits and that sole success came back in December 2006 as goals from Novo and Libor Sionko secured a 2-1 win.
Incredibly you had to go back a further decade to find boss Smith’s last win at Pittodrie in his first spell with the Light Blues.
Simply Red’s ‘Money’s To Tight To Mention’ blared out of Aberdeen’s PA system prior to kick-off – clearly a dig at Rangers although the Dons themselves are hardly rolling in cash.
The home side, however, started the match brightly and McGregor had to watch closely as a Chris Maguire snap shot flew over the bar.
In the very next attack a Steven Davis cross was put out nervously for a corner by Richard Foster and when Fleck delivered Lee McCulloch’s powerful header went narrowly wide with Jamie Langfield rooted to the spot.
The game started at a typically high tempo and a clattering challenge from Fleck on Chris Maguire giving the Dons a free-kick within Charlie Mulgrew range.
Referee Craig Thomson showed common sense by not issuing a yellow card to the Ibrox youngster and Mulgrew’s curling effort was off target.
The opening goal of the game came on 16 minutes and it Miller that diverted it home.
Michael Paton cut inside Steven Whittaker and his right-foot cross was put in by the striker who had got in front of Danny Wilson.
Rangers immediately looked to reply and after a scrappy period they had a perfect chance.
Davis broke in to the last third and found Boyd down the right flank. The striker cleverly dinked the ball over his marker and his volley across the face of goal was headed over by Lafferty from close range.
A controversial moment then followed before the half-hour mark when Steven Whittaker produced a trademark run down the right.
He jinked past two players to get in to the 18-yard box but just as he found himself in a dangerous position he was barged over by Maguire.
Thomson looked at the incident closely but decided to let play continue to the disgust of the Gers players.
The visitors were now pushing forward with purpose and another powerful strike from Boyd from an acute angle could only be palmed away by Langfield before it was cleared to safety.
At this stage it was all Rangers and next up to try his luck was McCulloch who drilled a low shot from 30 yards which had Langfield scrambling across his goal nervously.
With a minute of the half remaining one final push saw Papac scoop a cross in to the box and Boyd outjumped his marker but could only head over from six yards.
Despite a spirited fight back Rangers were unable to get back on level terms at the interval.
The second-half saw Kenny Miller replace Lafferty and the Scotland star’s pace immediately caused the backline a problem.
Davis hoofed a high ball up field and Miller pounced but his left foot shot on the turn lacked the power to beat the keeper.
Naismith then felt the full force of a challenge from Mark Kerr which gave the ref no option but to caution the midfielder.
On 55 minutes McGhee’s men had a great opportunity to double their advantage when Pawlett darted along the Gers’ 18 yard line before being blocked by Papac.
From that distance Mulgrew is normally lethal but his low effort took a nick off the defensive wall and with the ball trundling goalwards Papac was there to smash it clear before it crossed the line.
It was entertaining stuff and when Miller broke clear of the defence and crossed to Boyd you would put money on him scoring. Instead his first time volley was tipped over by Langfield.
More drama came on the hour mark when Kerr fouled Naismith in the centre circle and thwarted a potential counter attack.
Thomson immediately pulled out a red card and he also booked Boyd for his part in the handbags that followed.
On 68 minutes and with the Dons a man down Walter Smith decided to make his second change with Nacho Novo replacing McCulloch with Davis joining Naismith in the middle.
As the clock ticked down Bougherra was next to be called from the warm-up area and he looked eager to get on and do his bit for the team.
Indeed with 76 minutes played he was put on in place of Steven Whittaker in a bid to use his blistering pace down the right.
In to injury time and Boyd missed a glaring chance after Weir found him with a clever pass over the defence.
And Weir himself was left punching the ground in frustration as his 20 yard shot went a foot wide with Thomson about to blow for full-time.
It was all Rangers in the latter stages but somehow the Dons held on to maintain their remarkable home record against their Glasgow rivals.