A Peter Lovenkrands goal ensured Rangers ended the year at the top of the Premier League table.

The Dane grabbed the only goal of the game against Kilmarnock to hand the Ibrox side a narrow win that keeps them ahead of Celtic, despite a Henrik Larsson winner over Dunfermline at Parkhead.

Rangers manager Alex McLeish had insisted that he would not press the panic button after their unbeaten league record this season came to an end at Motherwell on Boxing Day.

But he knew, with their lead at the top of the table slashed to just one point, the pressure was on to stay ahead of rivals Celtic in the title race.

Determined to see out 2002 with a win, Rangers dominated the opening spell against Kilmarnock but, like so many other games recently, poor finishing was letting them down in front of goal.

A free-kick after 14 minutes gave Barry Ferguson the chance to flight the ball into the box whic was met by Shota Arveladze but his close range header was easily held by goalkeeper Gordon Marshall.

Six minutes later, Ferguson met a Kevin Muscat ball before trying his luck with a long, low effort only to watch as the shot took a deflection off Alan Mahood and fell harmlessly past the post.

Arveladze's cross found Maurice Ross out on the right flank and he squared into the path of Ronald de Boer at the near post.

But the Dutchman fired wide from just a few yards out under pressure from two Killie defenders.

However, the Kilmarnock rearguard had no chance in the 24th minute when de Boer flighted a superb, long ball out to Lovenkrands on the left and he charged into the box before driving low under Marshall.

Lorenzo Amoruso tried to add his own name to the scoresheet by surging to the edge of the area before unleashing a shot which was yards over the crossbar.

While Rangers remained unchanged at half time, Killie boss Jim Jefferies introduced Craig Dargo to the game, in place of Ally Mitchell.

He almost had an immediate impact on the game after being released by Andy McLaren and unleashed the shot only to be denied by Stefan Klos who had raced off his line to block the effort.

Killie were still searching for the leveller and McLaren had a decent chance when he lined up the shot just outside the 18-yard box. But the ball fell wide of the post.

The home side came even closer after 61 minutes when Gary McSwegan tried an opportunist drive from fully 35 yards only to watch in agony as the thunderous shot cracked off the crossbar.

But, a minute later, it was Rangers' turn to put Killie under pressure when de Boer played the ball to Lovenkrands at the near post and he tried to squeeze home from a tight angle but the effort was blocked by Marshall.

Rangers should have doubled their lead after 67 minutes when de Boer released Caniggia into the box and the tiny Argentinian looked set to net only to bullet across the face of goal and past the upright.

Rangers should have secured the three points after 77 minutes when Caniggia supplied the cross which was met by de Boer on the six-yard line but the Dutchman somehow managed to nod over the crossbar.

He had the chance to make amends four minutes later when Caniggia set him up for the header once again.

But, this time, he nodded straight into Marshall's hands at the far post.

Rangers piled on the pressure and Michael Mols was unlucky to see his shot strike the crossbar after being played through by Amoruso late in the game.

Teams

Kilmarnock Marshall, Canero, Innes, Shields, Dillon, Fowler, Fulton, Mahood, Mitchell (Dargo 45), McSwegan (Boyd 66), McLaren.

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Dindeleux, Hay.

Booked: Innes, McLaren.

Rangers Klos, Moore, Amoruso, Malcolm, Ross, Ferguson, de Boer, Muscat, Arveladze (Caniggia 51), Mols, Lovenkrands.

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Nerlinger, Latapy, McLean.

Booked: Moore.

Goals: Lovenkrands 24.

Att: 13,396

Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).