But in the second there were goals galore with Little and Templeton taking the score to 3-0 with 52 minutes played.
At this stage the game looked over but Berwick remarkably brought it back to 3-2 before Little completed his hat-trick with 17 minutes remaining to the relief of the home support.
With Lee McCulloch out due to a knee injury and Ian Black suspended McCoist named Dean Shiels and Fran Sandaza in his side.
And after a tentative start to the game it was the Spaniard’s good work that led to the opening goal.
The striker used all his power and strength to force his way past two defenders to get into the 18-yard box and after he prodded the ball forward Little managed to direct his right foot shot into the net from the tightest of angles.
It was Andy’s 14th of the campaign but just minutes later he lunged into a tackle and was perhaps lucky not to be booked.
Having taken the lead the home side quickly went in search of a second with Sandaza coming close.
After receiving a raking pass from Templeton down the left channel a quick step over and dip of the shoulder took the number 9 beyond his marker but his left foot drive across goal was palmed away by Ian McCaldon.
Emilson Cribari then attempted a rare long-range shot from 20 yards which was blocked before it reached the Borderers’ experienced shotstopper.
It did, however, bring a smile to the face of the 32-year-old Brazilian as he looked across to the coaching staff in the Gers dug-out.
On 16 minutes referee Steven McLean issued his first booking to Lewis Macleod after the youngster produced a late tackle on Dylan Easton.
And after the second yellow card had been shown to Berwick’s right-back Devon Jacobs on 24 minutes Templeton conjured up his side’s next goalscoring chance with a great piece of skill.
The winger jinked inside two defenders with a trademark shimmy and his delightful cross with the outside of his right boot flew across goal, just inches in front of Sandaza at full stretch.
The big forward looked determined to add to the one goal he scored prior to today and on 32 minutes he cut but inside from the left and his powerful, low shot from 25 yards flew past the post with McCaldon diving to his right.
At half time the Rangers fans must have been praying this was not a repeat of the Elgin match on January 5 when Macleod opened the scoring early on but the Light Blues failed to add to their tally and the Black and Whites snatched a late equaliser.
In the second half today, however, there were a lot more goals to savour and, thankfully, three of them were for Rangers!
Little bagged his second on 57 minutes with the Berwick defence caught napping. Templeton’s teasing delivery was volleyed home by the Ulsterman in front of a jubilant Copland Stand.
And it was only to get better for the Ibrox faithful five minutes later when their side made it 3-0.
Sandaza’s cross from the right found Templeton and his superb volley on the turn gave McCaldon no chance.
Berwick now had nothing to lose and on 63 minutes their boss Ian Little made a double switch and it was one of the substitutes, Ross Gray, who pulled a goal back with just his second touch.
His first was to control a pass back to him in the 18-yard box and having found a bit of space his accurate shot beat Alexander who was helpless.
With the score sitting at 3-1 there was no need to panic yet but when Fraser McLaren, who also scored at against Rangers at Shielfield Park on August 26, headed home at the near post from a corner Ibrox fell silent.
This didn’t last long as within 60 seconds Little’s excellent left-foot strike beat McCaldon at his near post and there was now no way back for the visitors who deserve credit for their never-say-die spirit.
Rangers, however, showed more quality on the day and in the end deserved the three points with Little the stand-out performer.
RANGERS: Alexander; Hegarty (Faure 53), Perry, Cribari, Wallace; Little, Macleod, Hutton, Templeton (Crawford 82); Shiels (Aird 74), Sandaza
SUBS: Currie, Naismith
BOOKINGS: Macleod (16)
BERWICK RANGERS: McCaldon; Jacobs, Townsley, McLean, Gielty; McLaren, Currie, Janczyk (Notman 78), McDonald; Easton (Currie 63), Lavery (Gray 63)
SUBS: McCallum, Hoskin
BOOKINGS: Jacobs (24)
REF: Steven McLean