A fantastic Brogan Hay strike and first Gers goal for Michelle Colson had the hosts two goals up at the hour-mark before a Rachel McLauchlan own goal halved the deficit.
Megan Bell wrapped up the contest with two minutes of normal time remaining as Jo Potter’s side saw the game out towards the end as they maintained their lead at the top of the table heading into Sky Sports Cup action next weekend.
The head coach named four changes to the side that ran out 2-1 winners in the Old Firm before the international break, with Michelle Colson, Tessel Middag, Jodi McLeary and Libby Bance all coming into the team.
Rangers started on the front foot in Cumbernauld as they looked to continue the momentum they gained heading into the break. A series of corners fell the way of the hosts in the opening stages, but they were unable to cause a threat with the set-piece chances.
The Gers probed in the opening 10 minutes but were unable to create any clear-cut openings. Tessel Middag registered the first effort on goal of the contest, striding forward from centre-back she tried her luck from 30-yards out but it was comfortably dealt with by Alicia Yates in the Spartans goal.
Chances remained few and far between despite the hosts dominating the majority of possession. The two strikers combined as Rio Hardy made a dart down the channel and cut the ball back for Kirsty Howat, but her shot from the edge of the area was blocked and cleared.
Hardy arguably had Rangers best opportunity of the match so far on the 20-minute-mark. Spinning in behind the away side’s defence the goalkeeper had committed as she rolled the ball beyond her, but the covering Hannah Robinson did well to divert the danger away from goal.
Kirsty Maclean almost produced a moment of magic after some clever play. The midfielder skipped past a challenge on the edge of the area before taking a strike at goal, but the ball whistled over the top of the bar.
Rangers took the lead shortly after and it came courtesy off a fantastic Brogan Hay strike following a corner. The initial delivery fell to Michelle Colson inside the area who laid the ball back to the winger, she caught the ball brilliantly to fire a shot into the roof of the net beyond Yates to put the Gers in front.
Hay had a chance to double the lead just five minutes later in a similar situation to when she fired in the opener. The ball again falling to Gers number seven this time closer to the goal, but her half volley was fired wide.
Ronaigh Douglas’ excellent sliding block prevented Hardy from making it two. Maclean opened up the Spartans back five with a defence splitting pass, the striker looked for the far corner but the chance was diverted away by the defender.
Hardy had a similar chance this time from a wider angle as the game approached the break. The forward found herself near the touchline and tried an effort on her left foot, but the keeper made the stop and held.
Howat almost continued her brilliant goal scoring form right on the stroke of half-time. The forward worked space for a shot from the edge of the area, her effort crashed off the underside of the bar and hit the foot of Yates who was relieved to see the ball fly past the post.
After a stop start period at the start of the second half Rangers doubled their advantage. Substitute Lizzie Arnot sent in a corner kick delivery towards the six yards box which met by the head of Michelle Colson who headed home her first Gers goal to make it two and give the hosts breathing space.
The hosts were now comfortable sitting with the two goal lead they now had maintained possession and started taking control of the contest in Cumbernauld, with just a half chance for Howat falling before the hour-mark.
Spartans found themselves back in the contest after a mistake from Jenna Fife in the Rangers goal. A back pass was played to the goalkeeper from Rachel McLauchlan with the ball rolling under her foot and into the net as the away side halved the deficit.
Chelsea Cornet had a half chance inside the area after a number of headers inside the box which was firstly met by Colson and then Middag. The ball broke for the midfielder who a took a touch in the area but could only fire into the side netting from a tight angle.
Substitute Rachel Rowe almost gave Rangers their two-goal advantage back as the game entered the final 10 minutes of normal time in Cumbernauld. The Wales international tried an audacious cross come shot from a wide angle which struck the bar before Hardy’s effort on the follow-up was blocked.
Rangers wrapped up the contest with two minutes of normal time remaining. Colson and Hardy combined down the right side as the striker found herself in space inside the box. She cut the ball back to Megan Bell who slid it into the bottom corner to seal the win for Jo Potter’s side on their return to league action.
RANGERS: Fife, Colson, Middag, Docherty (McLauchlan 45), McLeary (Arnot 45), Cornet, Maclean (Rowe 62), Bance, Hay (McAulay 89), Hardy, Howat (Bell 62)
SUBS: Esson, Austin, Berry
SPARTANS: Yates, McMahon (McCafferty 59), McMahon, Berman (Mason 66), Douglas (Clelland 66), McCafferty, Galbraith (Gibb 89), Jordan, Robinson, Foote, Bates (Birse 59)
SUBS: Johnstone, Marshall, Sleator