Instead, second-half goals from Jean-Alain Boumsong and then Nacho Novo paved the way for a 2-1 victory, with news that Celtic had been beaten at home to Aberdeen adding to the warm glow enveloping the travelling support as they made their way out the stadium at full time.
Four points now only separate both halves of the Old Firm although Rangers must face an in-form Dons side at Ibrox this Sunday.
Alex McLeish’s men had repeatedly aired their grievances about the artificial surface in the build-up to this match and they looked initially ill at ease as they tried to gain a foothold in proceedings when play got underway at a bitterly cold East End Park.
Seemingly unable to judge the bounce of the ball and unwilling to lunge into tackles – Marvin Andrews naturally excepted – the Light Blues trod tentatively across the stitched-together surface that looked more like a giant knitted green jumper than anything resembling a football pitch.
With Dunfermline dominating the early stages, the only cheer for the large travelling Rangers support was the news that over in Glasgow rivals Celtic were already two goals down to Jimmy Calderwood’s side.
That sensation of schadenfreude would last only until the 21st minute when Dunfermline deservedly went in front.
They had already threatened Stefan Klos’ goal when Barry Nicholson was only inches out with a curling drive and the former Ger was at the heart of the action when the Pars did ultimately score.
Greg Shields slipped a ball through to Nicholson who in turn executed an audacious back-heel flick that fell neatly into the path of Craig Brewster.
The striker may be approaching his 38th birthday but he showed no sign of any fading sharpness of speed or thought as he latched onto Nicholson’s pass to curl a sweet shot around Klos.
It was no more than Dunfermline deserved at this point and, sensing Rangers’ vulnerability, Gary Mason threatened again, wandering into the penalty box before seeing his shot eventually blocked.
McLeish had labelled this as a must-win game though there was no evidence that his players shared his urgency in a tame first-half performance.
A Novo shot that squirted narrowly wide of goal was their best effort before the break, supplemented by a pair of long-distance drives from Bob Malcolm that sailed high over the crossbar.
With the first half running out, Marvin Andrews and Dado Prso both saw half-chances blocked leaving Rangers to troop up the tunnel at the break a goal behind.
It was the same 11 men who emerged from the away dressing room after that half-time hiatus but immediately there was a marked improvement in their collective energy and application.
Within 90 seconds they had drawn level. Fernando Ricksen swung in a deep free kick aimed at the back post where Boumsong leapt highest to guide a free kick across goal and beyond Derek Stillie in the Dunfermline goal.
It had been Stillie’s first telling participation in the match and just four minutes later he was involved again to touch Novo’s fierce drive onto the post as Rangers surged forward looking to seize on their second-half momentum.
Their passing flowing where it earlier had been faltering, the Light Blues went in front from the penalty spot 11 minutes into the second half.
It was a delightful move. Gregory Vignal found Prso whose flick sent Fernando Ricksen scarpering into the penalty box only for Andrius Skerla to abort his attacking intentions with a late challenge.
After a short wait, Novo shrugged off Prso’s claims to accept responsibility for the kick and gave Stillie no chance with a low shot into the right-hand corner.
Referee John Underhill endured an inconsistent night, highlighted by his decision to neither send off nor even book Skerla for his rash tackle that denied Ricksen a goalscoring chance.
His inaction came back to haunt Rangers moments later as Prso fought his way into the box only for Skerla to pounce on the Croatian’s hesitation to make a sliding – and this time fair – tackle to deny Rangers a third goal.
Novo and Boumsong had further chances to extend the lead before Stillie pulled off a fantastic save to deny Prso’s downward header from Vignal’s pinpoint centre.
Dunfermline offered a late rally and Malcolm, to cap another admirable performance, popped up in the right place two minutes from time to head away Scott Thomson’s thunderous goalward drive.
DUNFERMLINE (4-3-3): 1 Stillie; 2 Shields, 3 Wilson, 5 Skerla, 6 Thomson; 7 Nicholson, 8 Mason (Tod 78), 11 Derek Young; 14 Donnelly (Mehmet 65), 10 Brewster, 16 Butler
Subs not used: Langfield, Darren Young, Bradley, Byrne, Labonte
Booked: Nicholson (79), Derek Young (86)
RANGERS (4-4-2): 1 Klos; 15 Khizanishvili, 4 Boumsong, 5 Andrews, 24 Vignal; 17 Burke, 2 Ricksen, 12 Malcolm, 31 Namouchi (Hughes 70); 10 Novo, 9 Prso
Subs not used: Smith, McLean, Arveladze, Campbell, Davidson
Booked: None
Rangers’ Man of the Match: Bob Malcolm