In a match where both goalkeepers were required to make the sum total of one save between them throughout the 90 minutes, it took a late strike from Peter Lovenkrands to earn the victory for Rangers and once more close the gap on Celtic to 11 points.
The Dane’s sumptuous strike was out of place with the events that had preceded it and was heartily welcomed by the travelling support with as much relief as joy. They had had little to cheer about prior to it.
While the standard of the performance may have concerned Alex McLeish, he can gain comfort from the cold statistics that show that Rangers have now won four matches in succession without yet conceding a goal.
Entertaining the fans, however, doesn’t seem to be in their remit at the moment.
A colourful ticker-tape reception from the Rangers support had greeted both teams as they took to the sodden field prior to kick-off. Sadly what followed was hardly worthy of such a spectacular welcome.
In a dreary first half, talk was more about those who weren’t playing rather than those who were, with Shota Arveladze a surprise absentee alongside Mikel Arteta.
As expected, Frank de Boer met his debut in place of the suspended Craig Moore although his twin brother Ronald had to bide his time on the substitutes’ bench, with Alex McLeish choosing to pair Nuno Capucho and Michael Mols up front.
It’s fair to say the duo didn’t enjoy the best of afternoons, with Capucho constantly straying into an offside position and Mols’ first touch letting him down when played through first by Fernando Ricksen and then by a wonderfully accurate through ball by Frank de Boer.
A Peter Lovenkrands drive that Kenny Arthur parried for a corner and a botched attempt on goal by Capucho were the sum of Rangers’ noteworthy attempts in a dire first period.
If anything Thistle were even worse. After 108 caps for Holland and numerous games for Ajax, Barcelona and Galatasaray, Frank de Boer will rarely have been less troubled than he was by the Jags’ strikeforce all afternoon.
John-Paul McBride volleyed well wide and player-manager Gerry Britton saw his attempt blocked by Henning Berg in two rare forages forward by the home side.
A clash of heads with Britton shortly before half-time saw Zurab Khizanishvili leave the field to get stitched up – a sensation that would have been familiar to anyone who had paid £18 to watch this tepid affair.
The introduction of Ronald de Boer nine minutes after the re-start – for the beleaguered Capucho – at least offered a glimpse of some much-needed glamour and just minutes later he was popping up in the Thistle box, almost causing Adrian Madaschi to put through his own net.
With little to entertain on the park, it was left to the two sets of fans to amuse themselves with some traditional dry-humoured slagging and abuse. Ah, the Glasgow banter.
After 75 minutes, however, the home support were silenced when Rangers went in front.
Stefan Klos’ long kick was nodded on by Ronald de Boer for Lovenkrands who waltzed past two half-hearted challenges to plant a crisp shot in the corner of Arthur’s net.
The Dane’s joy was to be short-lived, however, as a late tackle by Ian Ross saw him leave the field on a stretcher, writhing in agony just five minutes after his goal.
With Bob Malcolm on in his place, Rangers coasted through to the final whistle to gain another three points and record yet another clean sheet. For now that’s all that matters.
PARTICK THISTLE (4-4-2): 12 Arthur; 28 Anis, 32 Madaschi, 5 Murray, 6 Milne; 14 McBride (A Ross 90), 10 Rowson, 3 I Ross, 23 Waddell (Bonnes 65); 16 Grady, 9 Britton (Thomson 85)
Subs not used: Langfield, Forrest
Booked: McBride (7), Waddell (25), Rowson (56)
RANGERS (4-4-2): 1 Klos; 15 Khizanishvili (M Ross 66), 5 F de Boer, 25 Berg, 18 Ball; 37 Namouchi, 2 Ricksen, 8 Nerlinger, 26 Lovenkrands (Malcolm 82); 10 Mols, 20 Capucho (R de Boer 54)
Subs not used: McGregor, Walker
Booked: Ricksen (13), Ball (50), Khizanishvili (64)
Man of the Match: Fernando Ricksen