The Gers fell behind early in the contest when Rachel Donaldson struck for the Jags, but they showed their character in abundance to net twice in quick succession deep into the second half through Katie Wilkinson and Laura Berry to turn the game on its head.
The three points were then sealed in impressive fashion by 16-year-old May Cruft when she finished emphatically from the edge of the penalty area to net her first professional goal, before Kim Shin Ji netted a first of her own in Gers colours less than 60 seconds later to cap off an incredible comeback.
Crichton named two changes to her side from last weekend’s Old Firm success as Eilidh Austin, on the scoresheet seven days ago, and Berry came into the starting lineup.
The away side, however, suffered a setback just a quarter of an hour into the contest when Thistle broke the deadlock after Donaldson sprung the offside trap and lifted her finish over Jenna Fife from the edge of the penalty area.
It was far from the ideal start for the Gers, but few could question the response when they immediately set about restoring parity.
The PA system hadn't yet finished announcing the name of the Thistle goalscorer as Nicola Docherty overlapped on the left-hand side and centred in search of Katie Wilkinson who was just out of reach as she attacked the six-yard box.
Lizzie Arnot was next to go close as she drifted dangerously into space at the far post to meet Kim Shin Ji’s delivery but headed straight at Jennifer Currie in the hosts’ goal.
The frame of the Thistle goal was rattling moments later when Arnot turned provider from a corner and floated an unerring delivery into a congested penalty area where Wilkinson rose highest to power a header off the top of the crossbar.
Rangers had a firm foothold in the game, but the scoreline still read in Thistle’s favour as the Jags almost doubled their advantage down the other end when Lia Tweedie broke through the Gers rearguard and forced Fife into a smart stop.
Despite being in the ascendancy Crichton’s side could perhaps count themselves fortunate to only be the solitary goal down after Donaldson beat Jess Pegram to the punch and lofted an audacious effort over a stranded Fife which cannoned back off the crossbar.
The stroke of the half-time interval brought a thunderous driven effort from Wilkinson, but her effort was tipped onto the post by Currie at full stretch.
Rangers required inspiration from somewhere as Crichton turned to her substitutes bench on the hour-mark after Berry tested Currie from distance.
Brogan Hay and Alice Griffiths were the two to enter the fray, the latter of whom slotting into the engine room as Jodi McLeary moved to full-back.
And as Rangers continued to push forward they soon had the leveller. The right-hand side was the source as Shin Ji stood up a delightful delivery into the near post where Berry was denied initially but had the presence of mind to pick out Wilkinson with the rebound who made no mistake in slamming home from six yards out.
Three minutes later, the turnaround was complete.
Again, it was intricate football from Crichton’s side as Hay exchanged passes with Wilkinson at the edge of the penalty area before lifting the ball into Berry to volley beyond Currie from close-range.
The travelling support were in fine voice as a result, with Hay going close herself moments later when she was thwarted by the Thistle goalkeeper at her near post.
The Light Blues only had to control the game from there on out and they were in complete control as they added a third of the afternoon in stoppage time.
And what a moment it was for 16-year-old Cruft as she strode onto Hay's cut-back - dummied delightfully by Shin Ji - and planted an unstoppable finish beyond the outstretched Currie.
There was still time for the Light Blues to make it four as Shin Ji etched her name onto the scoresheet for the first time in Rangers colours when Thistle ceded possession inside their own final third before the midfielder spun intelligently and stroked into an empty net.
PARTICK THISTLE: Currie, Slater (English, 74), Handley, McCulloch, Falconer, Love (Bates, 80), Rennie, McAllister (King, 59), Donaldson, Tweedie (Fraser, 74), Robertson
Subs not used: Macnair, Ferguson, Turner
RANGERS: Fife, Austin, Pegram (Griffiths, 59), Hill, Docherty, McLeary, Shin Ji, Wilkinson, McAulay, Arnot (Hay, 59), Berry (Cruft, 80)
Subs not used: Ivarsdottir, Lafaix, Connolly-Jackson
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