However, Mols came roaring back to life in quite sensational circumstances as he made the starting line-up for the first time this season and hit the net for the first time in 2002.
Boss Alex McLeish gave him the platform, having used him for 20 minutes at Easter Road last Thursday, and Mols seized the opportunity with vigour.
The 32-year-old striker scored his first goal since December 29 last year after only five minutes and found a second within 14 minutes. Mols also saw fit to set up Barry Ferguson for goal No4 in the demolition of sad Killie.
Of course, one swallow does not make a summer but if Mols can produce this kind of form every time of asking then maybe he could achieve the turnaround in fortune that no-one really thought possible.
It was not just his goal touch which impressed, he also looked remarkably sharp showing some of the twists and turns which made him such a favourite with the Rangers supporters. He can more than delighted with the 61 minutes he played before being replaced by Billy Dodds.
His opening goal bore all the hallmarks of the player who burst onto the scene three years ago to such stunning effect. He took a throw-in from Fernando Ricksen on the right side of the Killie box, tuned onto his left foot and cracked a low drive into the net.
It was a fantastic way to come back into the side and he was celebrating again in 14 minutes when he score a second goal to finish off a devastating Rangers move which fully exemplified the gulf in class between the two sides.
Ricksen was the architect with a great ball which released Ronald de Boer in the inside right channel and Killie were sliced open, De Boer took the ball wide and cut it back perfectly for Mols who swept a right foot shot into the net.
The fans lapped it up. They knew a goal feast was imminent and they were not to be disappointed as Killie were finished off in the first half.
The Ayrshiremen were ripped apart by Rangers’ stirring play and the third goal in 26 minutes was pure impudence from de Boer.
He took a pass from Barry Ferguson on the left side of the Killie box and then teased and tormented Barry McLaughlin almost to the point of cruelty before placing a right foot shot into the right corner.
Seven minutes later Mols became a creator when he took a pass from Ricksen inside the Killie box and smartly laid it into the path of Ferguson who picked his spot with a right foot shot and Rangers were four up.
By now it had become simply a game of target practice. Mols should have had a hat-trick in the opening 45 minutes but Marshall denied him with a great block in 39 minutes after de Boer had sent him clear.
Then he pulled a left foot shot wide after Lovenkrands and Numan had set up the chance with some devastating play down the left hand side. However, let’s not get picky. It was great to see Mols back to such good form.
There was one blip a minute before half-time when Stevie Fulton headed in Gary Locke’s free kick at the back post but it mattered little other than ending a run of seven months for Stefan Klos without losing an SPL goal.
Claudio Caniggia came on for de Boer at half-time and then Mols made way for Dodds as McLeish understandably made some changes in a game which was already well won.
Rangers, though, were far from finished tormenting Kilmarnock. Lorenzo Amoruso had said pre-match that there was no thought of revenge in the air following the opening day draw at Rugby Park but it certainly did not look that way.
Craig Moore grabbed his first goal of the season when he headed home Ricksen’s corner in 67 minutes and then Barry Ferguson scored his second goal of the game three minutes later.
Innes took out Ricksen in the box as Stephen Hughes played in a corner from the right and Willie Young immediately awarded a penalty. It was Ferguson’s first spotkick since missing against Zizkov but he finished with aplomb driving the ball into the left corner.
It was Rangers’ highest win of the season and they did it without Mikel Arteta or Amoruso. Awesome stuff.
RANGERS: Klos; Ross, Malcolm, Malcolm, Moore, Numan; Ricksen, Ferguson (Konterman 73), Hughes; de Boer (Caniggia 45), Mols (Dodds 61), Lovenkrands.
Subs not used: McGregor, Muscat.
Bookings: None
KILMARNOCK: Marshall; Shields, McLaughlin (Innes 42), Dindeleux, Canero; Quitongo (McSwegan 67), Sanjuan, Locke, Fulton; Boyd, Boutal (Fowler 45)
Subs not used: Meldrum, Hay.
Bookings: Shields (54), Innes (70)
Ref: Willie Young
Att: 48,368
Man of the Match: Michael Mols