Killie will now need a top 6 SPL finish, to now have a chance of taking anything off of the Old Firm in season 2004-05. Last season 6 OF matches saw Killie lose all 6 by a margin of 17 goals scoring 3 and conceding 20. This season we have lost all 6 again scoring 4 and conceding 11

Kilmarnock gave the home side a scare when Kris Boyd hooked in a Peter Leven corner in with 14 minutes remaining.

Killie who had not wanted to play the fixture in the first place as they had been suffering from a mini-injury crisis in recent weeks. That seemed to have cleared up in time for the game as there were plenty of experienced campaigners available to the Ayrshiremen but it was obvious their initial gameplan was to frustrate their hosts as much as possible.

With champions Celtic preoccupied with Scottish Cup duty this weekend, Rangers were happy to move further ahead in the title race.

But the points were achieved at something of a cost however as Scotland Under-21 defender Alan Hutton broke his leg after a reckless challenge on Garry Hay and will be out for six months. It was a horrendous challenge by Hutton.

At times Kilmarnock had every man behind the ball as they absorbed a lot of early pressure from the home side.

Prso's had seen a first-minute effort ruled out by a linesman's flag despite goalkeeper Alan Combe having spilled the ball under pressure from his own defender David Lilley.

Something special was needed to break the deadlock and the Croat duly provided it in the 29th minute with his 17th goal of the season.

Prso was able to send a delightful strike from distance beyond the reach of the diving Combe.

Combe was then left stranded four minutes before the break when Ford gifted possession to Novo, who had no difficulty finding the net to rack up his 22nd goal in a Rangers shirt.

Combe had previously denied the Spaniard with two parries and the second needed Garry Hay to throw himself in the way of Gregor Vignal's follow-up effort.

Hay was hurt when crunched by Hutton but it was the Rangers defender who came off worse and had to be stretchered off with a broken leg

Combe was needed again four minutes after the restart to deny Prso after Vignal's pass had set up a shooting opportunity.

Thomas Buffel passed up a great chance to make it 3-0 in the 66th minute with an effort that hit a post when a goal had looked inevitable.

Killie gave themselves hope with 14 minutes remaining when Kris Boyd deftly converted Leven's corner.

Rangers made a final change and there was still time for Combe to deny Sotirios Kyrgiakos his first Rangers goal with a reflex parry from a Vignal corner move.

Kilmarnock: Combe, Fowler, Hay (Leven 54 mins), Ford, Lilley, Invincibile, Locke,  McDonald, Johnston,  Boyd (Nish 86 mins), Naismith (Dargo 86 mins).

Subs: Smith, Fontaine, Murray

Attendance: 48,575