Champions Hearts suffered only their second league defeat of the season as 10-man Rangers moved into second place in the Scottish Championship with a 2-1 win at Ibrox.
The home side enjoyed plenty of early possession, but there was little goalmouth action at either end until Rangers took the lead through Kenny Miller on 28 minutes.
Stuart McCall's side had referee Bobby Madden to thank in part for the goal, however, as his clever advantage after a foul on Lee McCulloch allowed Nicky Law to send full-back Lee Wallace clear down the left.
Wallace picked out the arriving Miller at the near post with his cross, and the striker's first-time effort found the far corner of Neil Alexander's goal to put Rangers ahead.
Hearts almost hit back immediately as Alim Oezturk's powerful long-range free kick was punched away by Cameron Bell, but only as far as Sam Nicholson, who hammered the rebound inches wide of Bell's upright.
A poor clearance from Bell then allowed Hearts in, but the Rangers goalkeeper made amends with a smart near-post save, before Rangers doubled their lead in style.
There seemed to be little danger when Haris Vuckic collected the ball on the edge of the Hearts box, but a quick turn allowed the on-loan midfielder to cut inside and curl a left-footed strike beyond Alexander and inside the far post.
With a two-goal advantage, Rangers looked in control but they were reduced to 10 men just before the break when Madden gave McCulloch his marching orders for an apparent elbow on Hearts striker Osman Sow.
Rangers took an age to emerge for the second half, though they could have gone further ahead when Law burst down the left and picked out Nicky Clark, but the striker could direct his effort into the arms of the grateful Alexander.
Oezturk fired wildly over the top after Rangers had failed to adequately clear a Hearts corner, then Miller's effort from a similar chance at the other end was turned behind at the near post.
With time running out, Hearts poured forward in search of a lifeline, but time and time again they failed to find their way past an organised and determined Rangers defence.
That was until Genero Zeefuik found himself perfectly placed to turn home the rebound after Bell had kept out Sow's point-blank header following a Hearts free kick on 83 minutes.
Zeefuik's goal set up a grandstand finish, but, despite Hearts spending injury time camped on the edge of the Rangers box, McCall's side held firm to record a valuable win.
Joe Sharratt
