Tore Andre Flo, Ronald de Boer and Claudio Caniggia grabbed the goals against the worst Motherwell side in years and manager Dick Advocaat was also able to introduce Barry Ferguson for his first SPL match this season.
The skipper played the whole of the second half and the match practice will be invaluable as Rangers have some big games coming up – none more so than the first Old Firm game of the season on September 30.
Motherwell were simply no match for the skills of de Boer and Latapy and in the end they were probably quite grateful to escape with only a 3-0 defeat.
It is clear that a fully fit Ronald de Boer is too much for some of the best defences in the world so it was little wonder that Motherwell found him too hot to handle.
The Dutch star’s quick feet and speed of thought had the Fir Park men in all kinds of trouble. So much so that three of their players were booked for fouling him as Rangers totally dominated the first half but only had one goal to show for their efforts.
De Boer won a penalty in 19 minutes when he was clearly brought down in the box by Greg Strong. Karl Ready did not like the decision and pushed de Boer to collect a yellow card for his actions.
Maybe this unnecessary reaction put Russell Latapy off his stride because he struck the resulting spotkick too close to former Rangers keeper Mark Brown who pulled off a good save, diving to his right.
Motherwell skipper Scott Leitch was next in the book for continuing to voice his displeasure about the decision. De Boer, however, was to receive more close attention.
Eddie Forrest crudely knocked him to the ground in 22 minutes to be booked. Then Strong was cautioned for a similar challenge two minutes as Motherwell failed to cope with the artistry of the former Barcelona and Ajax star.
De Boer was in his element but the annoying thing for Rangers was that they did not convert their dominance into goals. Neil McCann hit the inside of the post in nine minutes after being put through brilliantly by de Boer then Flo had a left foot shot saved by Brown after Numan had played him in 11 minutes.
Motherwell were all over the place but Rangers could not make it count. However, they finally made the breakthrough in 36 minutes and it was Flo who provided it, claiming his 20th goal for Rangers on his 31st appearance.
Latapy made up for his earlier indiscretion when he burst from midfield and played a great diagonal pass to Flo who guided a left foot shot past Brown despite the close attentions of Forrest.
Ricksen came close with a fierce 30-yard left foot shot in 38 minutes then Rangers should have had a second penalty in 43 minutes when de Boer was felled again, this time by Ready.
The big Welshmen clearly pushed de Boer and by definition should have been sent off for a last man challenge. McCurry neither awarded a penalty nor penalised the Motherwell player to the astonishment and fury of the Ibrox crowd.
Mo Ross, who had been booked in 41 minutes for a foul on David Kelly, had to come off at half-time after hurting his right knee and it enabled Advocaat to bring skipper Barry Ferguson back into the action.
It was Ferguson’s first taste of league action this season and with more pressing matches to come this month it was key for Advocaat to ease his captain back in.
The theme was unchanged as Motherwell stubbornly tried to resist Rangers’ attacks and in the early part of the second half they succeeded.
Flo flashed a left foot shot wide in 50 minutes after Latapy cleverly played him in. Then Rangers were looking for another penalty when Ferguson was floored by Leitch trying to reach de Boer’s pass in 53 minutes but, unsurprisingly, Mr. McCurry was unimpressed.
Brown then blocked a Latapy shot a minute later. However, he was finally beaten again in 68 minutes when de Boer, fittingly, slipped the ball past him.
It was Latapy who set up the chance with a low, driven cross from the right and de Boer flicked the ball into the left corner with nonchalant ease. It was de Boer’s last taste of the action as he was immediately replaced by Claudio Caniggia, but his contribution had been more than telling.
The game was over, but McCurry still managed to turn down another blatant penalty eight minutes from time. Strong clearly handled the ball as Caniggia tried to bring it under control but McCurry refused to give the spotkick – and he even consulted with his assistant.
Hey, at least he was consistent. He managed to get it wrong all afternoon and was inevitably booed from the field at the end of it all.
Rangers, though, did add one more goal in the final minute although the final score bore no resemblance to the difference between the two sides.
Peter Lovenkrands was crudely brought down by Martyn Corrigan, who was booked for the challenge, to earn Rangers a freekick on the left side of the Motherwell box.
Latapy whipped the ball in low and Caniggia stuck out his right boot to divert the ball into the net.
RANGERS: Klos; Ross (Ferguson 45), Moore, Vidmar, Numan; Latapy, Ricksen, Konterman, McCann (Lovenkrands 74); Flo, de Boer (Caniggia 68). Subs not used – Christiansen, Nerlinger.
Bookings: Ross (41)
MOTHERWELL: Brown; Forrest, Ready, Strong; Corrigan, Martinez (Lasley 55), Leitch (Harvey 64), Pearson, Hammell; Kelly (Adams 81), Elliott. Subs not uised – Woods, McFadden.
Bookings: Ready (19), Leitch (20), Forrest (22), Strong (24), Pearson (59), Lasley (85), Corrigan (89).
Att: 47,137.
Ref: Mike McCurry.
Man of the match: Russell Latapy.
Moment of the match: De Boer’s flick which set up McCann in nine minutes.