With a hard-fought 2-1 victory at St. Mirren, thanks to a header from Cyriel Dessers in the second half, unimpressive Rangers kept their Premiership title hopes alive.

In the 33rd minute, Saints defender James Bolton threw the ball in his own net while attempting a goal-line clearance, providing assistance to the Ibrox team, who had not won a league game in three games coming into the SMiSA Stadium.

After the visitors struggled in the second half, Dessers struck with a strong header in the 74th minute to secure the points. Home striker Mikael Mandron tied the score with a well-placed header four minutes later.

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Connor Goldson was again left on the bench for Rangers, who had returned to winning ways against Hearts in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup semi-final last week.

Borna Barisic replaced the injured Abdallah Sima, Dujon Sterling switched from left defence to attack, and Rabbi Matondo was replaced by Fabio Silva. Bolton, Mandron, Ryan Strain, and Conor McMenamin came back for the home team, who had a minute to take the lead.

Mikael Mandron caught the hesitant Gers captain James Tavernier in possession, but Ibrox keeper Jack Butland stopped the Saints striker’s drive.

An open game continued to develop.

The home team cleared a corner and then drove wide from the outside of the box, but Rangers midfielder John Lundstram, who has apparently reached an agreement with Trabzonspor for a move in the summer, curled a shot wide of the far post.

The Ibrox defence dissolved again, but Butland produced another excellent stop from a Mandron effort, even if an offside flag was raised.

However, Silva broke free at the other end but took too long, and his attempt was blocked by defender Alex Gogic for a corner.

The Saints keeper then made fantastic stops from Lundstram and Tavernier. McMenamin’s deflected shot was saved by Butland.

When Portuguese forward Silva appeared to go down too cheaply in the penalty area after a challenge by Gogic, Saints supporters loudly jeered.

A short corner resulted in the Rangers’ first goal. Hemming headed Barisic’s deep cross onto Mohamed Diomande’s head, and Bolton could only tip it over the line to keep Dessers at bay when the midfielder’s header came back across goal.

But Mandron soon levelled the score for the Paisley team, holding off defender Leon Balogun to head captain Mark O’Hara’s whirling cross low past Butland.

Right before halftime, Butland produced a magnificent save to deny Bolton’s attempt, giving the Saints hope that they may score another goal.

Rangers failed to provide much of an improvement until the 55th minute, when winger Ross McCausland took over for the ineffective Silva.

The Govan team occasionally displayed obvious frustration at their inability to take command of the match.

Todd Cantwell, a midfielder for the Gers, surged into the St. Mirren area in the 67th minute, but he curled the ball past the far post.

To the relief of the Gers supporters behind the goal, Tavernier’s pinpoint delivery from the right found the head of Dessers, who headed past Hemming, to help restore Rangers’ advantage.

The Buddies defender somehow gained yards of ground when Gogic made a stunning goal-line clearance to deny substitute Tom Lawrence from making it 3-1.

Balogun’s tackle of Saints substitute Olutoyosi Olusanya at the other end, just moments later, was equally important.