Ronald De Boer marked his first game since January 2 with the goal that gave Rangers a 1-0 half-time advantage over Kilmarnock.

The Dutchman, back after a knee operation, needed confirmation from the official that his header had crossed the line before Mark Reilly hacked it away.

Kilmarnock, though, made a bright start thanks to a combination of bright attacking play and shoddy defending by the home side.

In the third minute, Lorenzo Amoruso headed the ball to Tugay and he allowed Jesus Sanjuan to gain possession and cross for the unmarked Craig Dargo in the box.

It needed a brave block by goalkeeper Stefan Klos to deny him.

Rangers replied with a Jorg Albertz free-kick from 25 yards that fizzed wide but when Sanjuan tried his luck at the other end he was much closer.

The Spaniard was some 30 yards out when he looked up and forced Klos into a fingertip save round his right-hand post.

From the corner Chris Innes out-jumped Amoruso but headed over.

Both sides had made changes for a game played before a less than capacity crowd on a beautiful sunny day.

With Barry Ferguson banned and Claudio Reyna away in America in came Tugay and, for the first since a knee operation, Ronald de Boer.

Kilmarnock, chasing a final Uefa Cup place, dropped regulars Kevin McGowne and Christophe Cocard and relegated Andy McLaren to the bench.

Back came Alan Mahood from suspension and Sanjuan from injury with Dargo starting as a lone striker.

That meant Ally McCoist had to be content with a place on the bench in the hope of a final appearance against the club for which he scored a record 355 goals.

It took Rangers 19 minutes to win their first corner and they scored from it.

Albertz was the supplier on to the head of de Boer, although Mark Reilly, on the line, was able to hook his header away.

Referee Michael McCurry quickly consulted with linesman Neil Brand and ruled that the ball had already crossed the line and awarded a goal.

Sanjuan tried another shot from outside the area but this time fired straight at Klos.

A great back header from de Boer looked to put Tore Andre Flo in on goal but when Antonio Calderon tackled him all the home side were awarded was a corner and not a penalty.

De Boer showed his appetite for goal once more but was denied a clear shooting position by Frederic Dindeleux's block.

Amoruso appeared to be once again on the verge of leaving the club but delighted the fans with a burst from defence into the Killie half and his ball to send Flo clear was only just too strongly hit.

Sanjuan had already emerged as the visitors' most potent weapon and when Albertz cleared a corner as far as the Spaniard he again forced Klos into an acrobatic save from distance.

De Boer's superb through ball enabled Fernando Ricksen to win a corner and Rangers almost scored from this one.

Albertz found the head of Craig Moore at the back post and Flo instinctively flicked it goalwards when it came straight at him.

But there was Sanjuan on the line to clear and this time play continued.

Rangers almost doubled their lead in the final minutes of the half when Flo volleyed Tugay's chip forward just over.