First-half goals from Harry Forrester and Iain Russell meant the score was level going in at the break, but Mark Warburton’s men shifted through the gears in the second period with Michael O’Halloran, Andy Halliday and James Tavernier finding the net before Gary Oliver replied to make it 4-2 with just 57 minutes on the clock.
Substitute Mark Millar then beat Wes Foderingham in the 90th minute but it was too late for the visitors who will travel back to Dumfries disappointed.
With second place Falkirk losing 2-1 at home to Livingston the Light Blues are now 14 points clear at the top of the table.
As things stand Gers need to win their next two games to be crowned champions and they took a big step towards the title this afternoon, albeit they had to work hard for their victory against James Fowler’s Doonhamers.
The morning rain in the West of Scotland had thankfully stopped by the time the match started, and the Ibrox playing surface was in top condition as Rangers kicked off.
With Barrie McKay and Billy King on international duty with Scotland’s Under-21s, Harry Forrester was looking lively on his return to the starting line-up and after just three minutes he forced his way into the 18-yard box from the left flank and appeared to be bundled over.
Referee Crawford Allan looked at the incident but elected not to award a penalty.
10 minutes later, however, Forrester opened the scoring and it was a superb move from the league leaders in the build-up.
The Englishman played a neat one-two with Halliday who produced a clever return flick on the right wing to his team-mate who powered towards goal.
He looked up once and fired a low shot into the opposite bottom corner with Robbie Thomson diving in despair in front of Broomloan Stand.
It was a great start to the game for the Light Blues but on 24 minutes the visitors were back in it when they when they levelled from the spot.
It was Iain Russell who was brought down in the box by Lee Wallace and the Gers skipper could have no complaints with the ref’s decision.
Russell got to his feet, grabbed the ball and sent Foderingham the wrong way from 12 yards.
The equaliser seemed to rattle the Rangers players and on 34 minutes it was Foderingham’s cross bar that was rattled after Ryan Conroy struck an ambition effort from distance.
Warburton’s men should have been back in front moments later when Forrester brilliantly controlled a high ball from over his shoulder 18 yards from goal.
He then tried a dinked chip over Robbie Thomson not realising the keeper had come off his line and was lying on the grass as the ball floated over the bar.
At half time there was an air of frustration within the ground and the return of the heavy rain and what seemed like a drop in temperature did little to lift the mood as the teams emerged from the tunnel for the restart.
Thankfully, within a couple of minutes in the second half the Ibrox faithful were back out of their seats as Michael O’Halloran made it 2-1.
Jason Holt fed a perfectly weighted pass to the overlapping Lee Wallace who delivered a deep cross which went over a defender’s head and landed perfectly at O’Halloran’s feet.
He steadied himself before launching a powerful strike high into the opposite corner of the net in front of the jubilant Copland Bears.
Rangers were now rampant and fans were lapping up the attacking football being produced with Queens unable to cope at this stage.
On 51 minutes it was 3-1 with Halliday getting on the scoresheet with an excellent improvised finish from six yards.
Jason Holt chipped a pass into Kenny Miller and he crossed to the midfielder who sent an overhead kick beyond Thomson.
As Halliday got up to celebrate he appeared to run into Forrester which left both players sitting on the turf holding their heads.
It was a bizarre moment in what was now an exciting contest and five minutes later Rangers had increased their advantage through Tavernier.
Halliday’s accurate pass found Miller who headed into the path of the unmarked right-back who finished with aplomb.
After the the disappointment of throwing away a two-goal lead in their previous outing against Falkirk, the stadium fell silent before the hour mark when Gary Oliver pulled a goal back against the run of play to make it 4-2.
In the last 30 minutes Dean Shiels, Nicky Law and Nicky Clark were introduced and it looked as though Rangers would coast through to the end the match comfortably.
In the final minute, however, substitute Mark Millar blasted a left foot shot past Foderingham to set up a nervy finish to this topsy turvy league encounter.
Rangers, however, managed to hold out to record an important victory as they edge closer to the title.
RANGERS: Foderingham; Tavernier, Wilson, Kiernan, Wallace; Holt (Law 77), Ball (Shiels 63), Halliday; O’Halloran, Miller, Forrester (Clark 71) SUBS NOT USED: Bell, Zelalem GOALS: Forrester 14, O’Halloran 47,Halliday 51, Tavernier 55 BOOKINGS:
QOTS: Thomson; Jacobs, Brownlie, Dowie, Kidd; Conroy (Smith 77), Hutton, Tapping, Harris (Millar 59); Oliver, Russell SUBS NOT USED: Atkinson, Pickard, Moxon, Hilson, Hooper GOALS: Russell 24pen, Oliver 57, Millar 90 BOOKINGS: Hutton, Tapping
REF: Crawford Allan ATT: 46,117