Thelo Aasgaard was on the scoresheet for the second game running as he broke the deadlock inside the first half, before Emmanuel Fernandez netted his fourth goal of the campaign to double the side's lead in the second period.

Despite Jack Butland denying Marcus Fraser from the penalty spot, the visitors pulled a goal back in the final quarter of an hour through Mikael Mandron, but it mattered little as the Gers stood tall thereafter to seal a priceless three points.

The Head Coach made two changes to the side which defeated Motherwell on Saturday afternoon, handing John Souttar his first start in just under two months alongside a return to the starting lineup for Mikey Moore.

A standout performer from the triumph at the weekend was Djeidi Gassama, who was immediately at the centre of the action inside two minutes when he shimmied inside and dragged a low effort wide of the target.

Mikey Moore then stung the palms of Shamal George from distance before Jayden Meghoma’s wicked delivery across the face of goal required the St. Mirren stopper to be alert to cut out at source on the full stretch.

It was all Rangers in the opening exchanges without truly threatening the visiting goal, although the away side offered a moment of their own when Jayden Richardson broke through the Gers ranks and forced Jack Butland into a fine reaction save, albeit the full-back had strayed offside.

The hosts perhaps ought to have broke the deadlock, however, when the dangerous Gassama, operating on the right, raced to the byline and picked out Nico Raskin in acres of space 10 yards out, but the Belgian international contrived to steer wide on his left side.

St. Mirren certainly didn’t lack in height across their midfield and backline, forcing Rangers to be intricate in-and-around the edge of the penalty area in search of penetration.

Raskin was cute in feeding a pass around the corner for Gassama who immediately flicked into the vicinity of Youseff Chermiti and, a swivelled effort later, out for a corner.

A minute later, Rangers notched the opener. Another set-piece routine drawn up Scott Fry bore fruit when Meghoma combined with Tavernier on a short corner and the youngster delivered an inch-perfect delivery into Aasgaard who glanced a gorgeous header beyond George and into the far corner.

The hosts had their tails up as Moore tried an audacious effort from a tight angle moments later that George almost fumbled into his own net were it not for the intervention of the crossbar.

St. Mirren’s threat had been non-existent until just moments into the second period when Roland Idowu got the better of Souttar on the far side and could choose from options aplenty in the penalty area. The attacker’s cut-back eventually fell kindly into the path of Mikael Mandron whose stabbed effort was thwarted terrifically by Butland.

The warning proved the cue for Rangers to ratchet up the intensity down the opposite end as Chermiti displayed strong hold-up play before releasing Gassama with a pass down the inside that the winger worked the ball back onto his left-hand side before it was blocked out for a corner.

And from the subsequent phase of play, the home side doubled their advantage. It was Chermiti who was the architect when he collected the ball 10 yards outside the St. Mirren penalty area and floated a tantalising delivery towards the far post where Fernandez arrived in acres of space to probe his finish through the legs of George in the visiting goal.

The home side were in the mood for more as Gassama embarked on a sublime individual run from inside his own half, leaving two St. Mirren defenders in his wake before forcing George to palm around the post for a corner.

St. Mirren were offered a route back into the contest with just over a quarter of an hour remaining when VAR sent referee Ryan Lee to the pitchside monitor after adjudging Fernandez to have handled in the process of blocking Conor McMenamin’s strike inside the penalty area.

However, as has been customary in 2025, Butland rose to the occasion, thwarting Marcus Fraser’s effort from 12 yards.

Still, the away side put the cat among the pigeons with nine minutes remaining when Mandron nodded beyond the Gers goalkeeper from close-range after he had initially denied Miguel Freckleton from a corner.

The Gers stood firm for the remainder of the contest, holding the away side at arm's length to see out victory on the penultimate evening of the year.

RANGERS: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar (Nsiala, 78), Fernandez, Meghoma, Raskin, Diomande (Curtis, 90), Aasgaard (Barron, 67), Gassama, Moore (Aarons, 67), Chermiti (Danilo, 78)

Subs not used: Kelly, Cameron, Matondo, Dowell

ST. MIRREN: George, Richardson, King, Idowu (McMenamin, 56), Mandron (Mooney, 86), Ayunga (Nlundulu, 36), Gogic, Freckleton, Fraser, John, Phillips (Donnelly, 86)

Subs not used: Mullen, Tanser, Dijksteel, Sobowale, Taylor