The Light Blues fell behind inside 20 minutes when James Tavernier cruelly diverted the ball into his own net after Matty Kennedy steered a hopeful effort towards goal, before Fabio Silva levelled on the stroke of the half-time interval.

The second half then belonged to Philippe Clement’s substitutes when, firstly, Ben Davies showed a striker’s instinct to bundle home a rebound from close-range, setting the stage for Tom Lawrence to curl a ferocious effort into the top corner to seal a priceless victory.

There was still time for the Gers to add a fourth goal of the afternoon against their numerically stricken opponents in stoppage time when John Souttar headed home from close range after Will Dennis could only palm Lawrence’s rasping effort up into the air.

Those hoping for a serene opening at Ibrox would have been left disappointed, with cries for a Gers penalty inside five minutes when Dujon Sterling, lining up on the right-hand side of the attacking trident, appearing to head the ball onto the hand of Corrie Ndaba.

Although the referee initially waved away the Rangers appeals, none more so than from manager Philippe Clement on the touchline, he was advised to take a trip to the pitchside monitor for closer inspection.

However, referee David Dickinson stood firm in his convictions and upheld his on-field decision. Moments later, the whistler was at the heart of the Ibrox ire when John Lundstram’s neat finish from the edge of the penalty area was pulled back for an offside on Cyriel Dessers following neat opportunism from Sterling to steal possession from Stuart Findlay high up the pitch.

Sterling’s running power was wreaking havoc on the Killie backline, with the 24-year-old drawing an early caution for Ndaba when he beat the Killie full-back for pace on the right-hand touchline.

For all of Rangers’ early endeavour, however, they fell behind on 11 minutes when Liam Polworth’s inch-perfect delivery was met at the far post by Matty Kennedy whose attempted hook goalwards trickled in at the near post via a deflection off James Tavernier.

It’s fair to say that the setback came against the run of play, but the Light Blues ought to have restored parity ten minutes later when, following a VAR intervention, the referee pointed to the penalty spot.

Fabio Silva sprung the offside trap to advance towards goal, clipping the ball across the six-yard area to the lurking Sterling whose attempt clearly struck the outstretched hand of Killie defender Joe Wright from three yards out.

In awarding the spot-kick, referee David Dickinson had little option but to give Wright his marching orders for the denying of a clear goalscoring opportunity, yet Derek McInnes’ side were offered a reprieve when Tavernier’s penalty was denied by a sprawling save from goalkeeper Will Dennis.

The visitors sacrificed wide man Danny Armstrong in place of defender Robbie Deas, with the challenge infront of Rangers to erode a deep and narrow defensive block who had ostensibly sacrificed a traditional ‘out ball’ in attack.

And the Gers came close to doing exactly that on the stroke of the interval when Mohamed Diomande thread a lovely, disguised pass into Silva whose flashed effort across the face of goal ricocheted off substitute Deas and forced Dennis to palm away for a corner.

Eight additional minutes were announced in the first half owing to the frequent VAR stoppages, with Clement’s side endangering the Killie penalty area when Sterling lashed a cross-cum-shot towards goal that Tavernier looked to divert towards goal but contrived to steer his effort off target.

Todd Cantwell was next to try his luck from distance from 25 yards out, before Ibrox was brought to its feet with virtually the last kick of the half as the Gers found the leveller.

Indeed, it took a moment of ingenuity from Lundstram to catch the Killie backline on the hop, floating a delicious first-time delivery towards Silva at the far post who stole a march on Lewis Mayo to stab his finish into the bottom corner from close range.

It was the perfect time to equalise for Clement’s side, who emerged from the interval with their tails up and with Davies replacing Leon Balogun at the heart of the defence.

Penetrating from the flanks, Tavernier slid a neat pass down the inside for Sterling who dinked a neat delivery across goal that was unfortunately passed up by all those in royal blue.

Diomande and Cantwell were next to combine on the edge of the penalty area moments later, although the latter could only scoop his resulting effort over the crossbar on his unfavoured left side.

Rangers were beginning to ratchet up the pressure, going agonisingly close when Cantwell, again at the heart of the action, floated a dangerous delivery which Silva rose to head onto the roof of the net.

And with a little over an hour on the clock, Rangers completed the turnaround to lead for the first time on the afternoon.

Again, Rangers caught Kilmarnock napping from a set-piece routine as Lundstram rocketed an effort towards goal from Tavernier’s pick out that Dennis spilled and allowed Davies to react first to bundle home the rebound from close range.

Ibrox was rocking to serenade an unlikely goalscorer – making his first appearance since the famous victory in Seville back in December – and a third goal of the contest almost arrived moments later when Dessers darted across the front post and was thwarted when stooping to nod Tavernier’s delivery towards goal.

However, the Light Blues didn’t have to wait too long to seal all three points as another one of Clement’s substitutions bore fruit.

A loose ball in midfield was pounced upon by Ross McCausland who immediately moved possession infield to Tom Lawrence. The Welshman, introduced just five minutes prior, then shifted the ball neatly onto his right side in one fell motion before curling an unstoppable effort into the top corner.

And a fourth goal of the contest arrived for the Light Blues in stoppage time when Dennis palmed Lawrence’s powerful effort up into the air where Souttar pounced to knock home his headed rebound.

RANGERS: Butland, Tavernier, Balogun (Davies, 45), Souttar, Barisic (Ridvan, 78), Lundstram (Raskin, 78), Diomande, Cantwell (Lawrence, 66), Sterling (McCausland, 66), Silva, Dessers

Subs not used: McCrorie, Dowell, Wright, Roofe

KILMARNOCK: Dennis, Mayo, Findlay, Wright, Ndaba, Armstrong (Deas, 23), Donnelly, Polworth (Watson, 65), Kennedy, Watkins (Lyons, 65; McKenzie, 78), Vassell (Van Veen, 65)

Subs not used: O’Hara, Murray, Cameron, Mackay-Steven