It was a battle at times as Rangers had to fight for their win, but in the end their quality shone through and there was visible joy on the faces of the players as they left the field at the end.
There was a down side, however, as both Ronald de Boer and Arthur Numan limped out of the match and let’s hope their respective toe and groin injuries are not serious.
But this was a pivotal night for Alex McLeish as he continues to build the momentum which began last season with the winning of both cup competitions.
Rangers certainly came out with the right intentions as Bob Malcolm and Craig Moore won early headers against dangerman Mark de Vries and then forced two corners in quick succession.
Indeed, in the first 10 minutes or so they went at Hearts like tigers – looking like a team who were desperate to claim top spot in the SPL.
Hearts keeper Roddy McKenzie spilled Shota Arveladze’s shot in five minutes and Ronald de Boer was almost onto the rebound to fire the early goal everyone in the stadium wanted but Steven Pressley managed to get a boot in the way to divert the ball for a corner.
Skipper Barry Ferguson surged forward a minute later and let fly and again McKenzie dropped the ball, but he managed to recover before a Rangers player could get near him.
Then in seven minutes it was astonishing that Hearts survived as de Boer drove the ball across the face of goal, but Fernando Ricksen miskicked from eight yards.
The Ibrox fans roared their encouragment, knowing the importance of the occasion, and they were on their feet again in 12 minutes when Hearts were torn apart as Claudio Caniggia burst down the right.
The veteran striker cleverly played the ball inside to Arveladze, who in turn set up de Boer on the the left side of the Hearts box but the Dutch star rushed his shot and blasted it high over the bar into the Copland Stand.
It was a decent start by Rangers, but the fact that they had not made it count was almost crudely exposed a minute later when Hearts nearly scored with their first move of the game.
Jean-Lous Valois has already made a decent impact on the Scottish scene and when he played a diagonal ball to the edge of the box Rangers were in trouble. Fellow new signing Phil Stamp got his head on the end of it and Stefan Klos did not know much about it as the ball hit the top of the bar.
It certainly encouraged Hearts and subdued Rangers a little but the Ibrox men had another chance to make the breakthrough in 22 minutes when Ricksen played a superb ball inside young Paul McMurran to release Kevin Muscat.
The Aussie full back had time to measure his cross as Caniggia burst to the near post but it did not hit its target and Hearts survived again.
It was indicative of the final ball just not being good enough, but the Ibrox men finally got things right four minutes from half-time to the joy and relief of the expectant crowd.
It was de Boer who provided the missing quality when he took a pass from Ricksen on the right side of the Hearts box and hit a brilliant cross to the edge of the six-yard box and Caniggia threw himself forward to bullet a header into the net.
However, having just enjoyed his moment a dark cloud fell over de Boer when he had to come off five minutes into the second half when he had to limp off with a toe injury.
Billy Dodds was his replacement and there was no doubting his energy and commitment but Rangers seemed to find it hard to build on their lead.
Indeed there was another scare for Rangers when de Vries was allowed a clear run at goal from a tight angle but Klos stood tall to make the block for a corner.
The excellence of Caniggia almost gave Arteta a chance in 53 minutes when he fooled three Hearts playes with his clever footwork but the young Spaniard’s shot was blocked by Kevin McKenna for a corner.
There was a sense of slight unease in the stadium because at only one ahead you are always susceptible and there was more frustration in 64 minutes when the Ibrox men were denied by the woodwork.
Arteta whipped over a corner from the right and Craig Moore, who was outstanding all night, rose beautifully to power a header which crashed off the junction of the right post and crossbar.
There was more disquiet on the Rangers bench in 67 minutes when Arthur Numan became the second Dutch casualty coming off with a groin injury.
Hearts sensed they could get something out the game and de Vries nearly snatched an equaliser with a header from Valois’ corner but the game was finally made safe 12 minutes from time.
Ferguson worked the ball left to Dodds who hit a low cross into the box. It seemed to fall behind Caniggia but Arveladze was onto to it on flash and danced past McKenzie to walk the ball into the net and Ibrox erupted.
Shota will undoubtedly scored infinitely better goals but the importance of this one was clearly tangible as Rangers surged to the top of the table.
RANGERS: Klos; Muscat, Malcolm, Moore, Numan (Ross 67); Ricksen, Ferguson, Arteta; de Boer (Dodds 51), Arveladze, Caniggia (Konterman 82).
Subs not used – McGregor, Latapy.
Bookings: Moore (71), Ricksen (86)
HEARTS: McKenzie; Maybury, Pressley, McKenna, McMullan; Valois, Stamp, Severin, Boyack (Twaddle 76); de Vries, Kirk (Wales 76).
Subs not used – Gordon, Webster, Jancyzk.
Bookings: Stamp (15)
Ref: Mike McCurry
Att: 48,581.
Man of the match: Craig Moore