He came off the bench to score the goal which put Rangers back in front in a match they largely controlled and then laid on the third strike for Jorg Albertz in the closing moments.
Just two weeks ago, Rangers might have fallen 18 points behind Celtic but now they have the Parkhead men within their sights given that there is still one more game in hand.
It was not the most sparkling display in the swirling rain, but it is points which matter at this stage and Rangers go them.
Dick Advocaat knew that space would be tight against the Dons, who had packed the midfield, but he must have been reasonably happy the way his team started, stroking the ball around midfield.
However, the Dutchman looked the heavens in disbelief when he found himself a goal behind after Aberdeen’s first attack of the game.
And what made matters worse was the appalling nature of the goal which gave Aberdeen a shock lead and thrilled their small band of supporters.
They won a corner in 11 minutes which was cleared for a second flagkick by Arthur Numan and then the Rangers defence was caught looking very foolish indeed.
Chris Clark’s driven ball did not look as if it would cause any problems but somehow made it all the way to the centre of the box where Arild Stavrum could hardly believe his luck as he swept the ball into the net.
Ibrox was stunned not just by the goal but in the manner it was conceded. However. Aberdeen almost let Rangers back into the game with similarly inept defending seven minutes later.
Thomas Solberg was caught in possession as he sauntered out of his own box by Claudio Reyna, back in the side after suspension, and suddenly the Dons were in trouble.
Reyna released Kenny Miller who tried to thread the ball back to him and the American sliced his left foot shot wide when Aberdeen really should have paid for Solberg’s slackness.
However, Rangers did manager an equaliser in 25 minutes although there was an element of ineptitude from Aberdeen’s point of view about the strike which drew them level.
Ronald de Boer’s corner from the left was flicked on by Bert Konterman and then Ryan Esson seemed to fumble as he tried to collect and the ball dropped nicely for Michael Mols who hammered it into the net.
A minute later the Dutch striker should have blasted Rangers into the lead. Skipper Barry Ferguson inspired the move with a drive into the box and a cure back post ball for Kenny Miller.
He laid it neatly back for Mols who slammed a right foot drive which crashed off the crossbar and Aberdeen were off the hook.
However, that was as close as Rangers as came to finding another goal in the first half which was enough of a concern to Advocaat for the Rangers managet to make two half-time changes.
De Boer had claimed to be feeling fitter before the game but was replaced by Jorg Albertz while Billy Dodds came on for Miller, who had had a quiet time.
Albertz had a rather inauspicious start, losing possession twice and then getting himself booked for a foul on Cato Guntveit in 52 minutes. Dodds, however, was to be far more impactful.
The little striker has had a tough time of it recently finding himself right out of the picture but he answered back in the best way he knows how, with a predator’s strike to put Rangers ahead.
Fernando Ricksen’s thrown-in in 59 minutes was headed out only as far as Ferguson who drove it back into the box and Dodds reacted qucikest to stab a right foot shot past Ryan Esson.
Rangers knew, however, that they needed a third goal to make the game safe because there waas always the chances of being caught on the break and Robbie Winters nearly made them pay.
Andy Dow’s cross was sweet and Winters headed just wide when he got in front of Konterman in 74 minutes.
It was the wake-up call Rangers needed. Mols came desperately close to scoring in 81 minutes when he shook off Solberg and then watched in anguish as his right foot shot struck the base of the left hand post.Then Dodds fired over the bar two minutes later as Rangers went for the kill.
Finally the concerns were eased with two minutes to go when Albertz clinched a crucial win finishing off a move he had started inside his own half.
The big German won the ball inside the centre-circle and burst forward to release Dodds on the right with the Dons defenders caught on their heels. Dodds hit the box and the cut the ball back for Albertz to slam a left foot drive into the net.
It was far from the greatest peformance but the significance was considerable as Rangers reduced the gap at the top to 10 points.
RANGERS: Klos; Ricksen, Wilson, Konterman, Numan; Reyna, Ferguson, de Boe (Albertz 45), McCann; Miller(Dodds 45), Mols. Subs – Christiansen, Tugay, Ross.Bookings: Albertz (52)
ABERDEEN: Esson; McNaughton (Di Rocco 74), Solberg, McGuire, McAllister; Derek Young, Rowson, Guntveit, Clark (Dow 67); Stavrum (Mayer 58), Winters. Subs – Preece, Lilley.Bookings: Rowson (60)
Ref: Hugh Dallas.
Man of the match – Michael MolsMoment of the match – Billy Dodds’ predatory strike to make it 2-1.
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